All Is Love
by WorriedShoes014
Summary: Alice's ancient Porsche breaks down while picking up her foster brother from Arizona. A beautiful stranger finds them and helps them get to Seattle, but Alice finds something more than just a ride. Alice/Bella. AU/AH.
1. Jinx

******Author's Note: **I would just like to start off by talking about this story a bit. I'm not really sure where this idea came from. It just sort of popped into my head. I'm usually an Edward/Bella and Alice/Jasper shipper, but recently I've been reading a lot of Alice/Bella. It took be quite awhile to get all of the facts straight in my head considering this is AU and AH. This isn't going to be smutty, so you don't have to worry about anything dirty. It's going to be about two people finding love very unexpectedly. Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie were all adopted by Esme, although Jasper and Rosalie are biological siblings. Jasper is 25, Rosalie is 21, Alice is 19. Bella lives with her mother Renee in Arizona where she's finishing up high school, but she's spending her summer in Forks with Charlie. She is 18. You'll learn more about the characters as they learn more about one another.  
Summary: Alice's ancient Porsche breaks down while picking up her foster brother from Arizona. A beautiful stranger finds them and helps them get to Seattle, but Alice finds something more than just a ride. Alice/Bella. AU/AH.  
******Rated:** T for language, mild sexual content, and underage drinking**.  
****Disclaimer**: I don't own Alice, Bella, Jasper, or anything really. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer. All I own is the plot and parts of the backstories of the characters.

* * *

**Jinx**

Alice Brandon pulled away from Davis-Monthan Air Force base in Tucson, Arizona with her brother, Jasper, sitting solemnly beside her. His head leaned against the cool glass of her window as though he couldn't be bothered to stay awake. Alice had driven 8 hours from Los Angeles – where she was attending the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising – to here. All because their mother Esme had been so adamant that her adopted children spend some much needed bonding time with one another. And now her brother wasn't even paying attention to her.

The petite girl looked in her mirrors, checking that no one was behind her, and slammed on the brakes of her yellow 1978 Porsche 924. Jasper lurched forward, grabbing the dashboard to steady himself. _That's what he gets for falling asleep _and _not wearing a seatbelt_, Alice thought to herself, a smug smile on her pouty lips. "Morning, sunshine." She said in her soft, musical voice. Jasper glared at her and sat back in his seat, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Morning." He grunted, turning to look out the window as Alice started driving again. She took a sharp left, causing the random sheets of paper on her dashboard to flutter around. "Your car's a wreck." Jasper commented as her reached up to grab the papers. He'd always been the neat one out of the kids, helping Esme with all of the chores that Alice and Rosalie had conveniently forgotten about. He shuffled the papers into a neat pile and set them on the incredibly small backseat of the Porsche. When Alice took another sharp left, the papers scattered.

"Where's Rose?" Jasper asked, referring to his biological sister Rosalie. She lived only a few blocks away from Alice in Los Angeles, working hard to kick start her modeling career. She'd done a few small jobs here and there and was being considered to be in a spread by some jeans company that Jasper could never remember the name of. It was obvious why designers loved her; she was 5'10" with thick, curly blonde hair and stunning violet eyes. She didn't have an ounce of fat on her either – a necessity in the modeling business – and her face didn't have a single flaw.

"Back home." Alice answered. "Emmett has his movie premiere tonight, and Rosalie couldn't pass up a chance to show off." She rolled her eyes. The relationship between Rosalie and her action star boyfriend, Emmett McCarty, was laughable. The guy thought angina was a body part. But Rosalie stayed with him cause she "loved him," or, more accurately, loved being in the limelight. "She's flying in tomorrow night."

"Figures." Jasper chuckled, running a hand through his curls. He was expecting this road trip to Seattle with his sisters to be a living hell. He could just picture what it would've been like if Rosalie had come along – the blonde would've sat in the backseat and complained about the lack of room and the long ride while Alice fought the urge to strangle her and throw her in a ditch somewhere.

"Are you one hundred percent sure that this thing will make it home?" He asked, patting the seat of her ancient Porsche. Alice glared at her brother, her tiny hands gripping the steering wheel protectively.

"I'm positive. Just because it's an older model doesn't mean it can't run well." She had always been extraordinarily protective of her Porsche. When she was just fifteen, she'd asked Esme for a sports car, specifically a yellow Porsche. Her dream had come true on her sixteenth birthday, although she'd been hoping for a '05 model or something, not a '78. She couldn't complain, though. For the three years she'd had it, her Porsche had run smoothly, never breaking down. She had faith in it.

"Let's just pray this piece of junk doesn't fuck up. This is a long ride; that's the last thing we'd need."

"Jazz!" Alice scolded. "Don't jinx my car, alright? It runs just fine." She stroked the steering wheel affectionately. "And I'm going to have to have a talk with your little Air Force buddies. They're corrupting you. I mean, since when have you started cursing like that?"

Jasper laughed and leaned back in his seat, making himself comfortable. He quietly listened as Alice talked about all the things she'd learned at school in the few months that the two hadn't seen each other. She had successfully sewn a couple of dresses and shirts, including the floral print, sundress that she was currently wearing. He knew that if he just nodded and occasionally asked questions, she'd continue to carry the conversation. He didn't mind – he was never much of a talker.

Forty minutes later, Alice's phone began playing the chorus of some song by one of those alternative artists she was always going on about. Goldwrap, or something like that. She hit send on her blackberry and chirped a cheerful greeting to whoever was on the line. From the sour look that immediately found it's way onto her pretty face, it was Rosalie on the phone.

"Look, Rose." Alice started, her voice no longer cheerful, taking on an annoyed tone. "I'm sorry that you and Emmett broke up… again. I truly am. But that's not my fault. You chose to come out tomorrow night instead of with me. Sorry, hun. I'm not turning back." She hit end and let out a long, dramatic sigh.

"What happened this time?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, nor do I care. It's her problem." And with that, Alice flicked on her radio – one of those new, portable ones that Rose had to install when Alice got the car – and sang along to the music that blasted through the speakers.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Two hours later, Jasper found himself at the receiving end of one of Alice's infamous glares. They were in Phoenix, Arizona with nothing but two dead cell phones – Jasper hadn't charged his in at least a week – and a broken down car. The smoke seeping out from under the hood was definitely not a good sign.

"You jinxed my car." Alice hissed, her tiny fist slamming into Jasper's arm. For someone so small, she sure had a lot of strength. He rubbed his sore arm and glared right back at her. "What are we supposed to do now? Look at my poor baby." She sniffled and leaned against the canary yellow exterior of her car.

Jasper shrugged. He'd never been in a situation like this. Sure, he'd had a broken down car before, but it was only once and Rose was with him. If anyone could fix up a car even better than the guys at the shops, it was Rosalie Brandon.

Alice grabbed her slim, black purse and started walking. A truck passed her and honked, the bald driver winking at the girl who could easily pass for eleven. Jasper felt the sudden urge to go and knock the guy out. "Ali! He called out, jogging behind her. She ignored him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Hitchhiking!" She shouted, crossing her thin arms.

"Are you sure that's even legal here?" He shouted back. She simply shrugged. With a sigh, Jasper ran back to the car, grabbed his backpack, – the only thing he was bringing to Seattle because most of his clothes were already there – and caught back up to his sister. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"And resourceful. God only knows how long it'd take to get a tow truck and get the car fixed. Not to mention how much it would cost." She walked at a brisk pace, her metallic sandals kicking up thick, reddish dirt that stuck to the soles of her feet. "Look for someone normal, okay? No creepy old men, no windowless pedophile vans."

Jasper laughed and watched as a few more cars passed, none of them glancing at the pair. After a few minutes, a sleek, silver car pulled up. The driver, a man of about thirty, peeked out of the window and smiled. "Need a ride?" He asked, although Alice knew from his direct stare that he was only talking to her.

"No thank you." She said brightly, continuing her walk. The guy trailed her, going at a snail's speed. Alice was starting to feel uncomfortable, her eyes darting from the ground to the car.

"I believe she said she doesn't want a ride." Jasper interjected, glaring at the man with his piercing blue eyes. The man put up his hands in a sign of surrender and drove off, kicking up a cloud of dirt. Alice coughed softly.

They walked in silence, waiting for someone acceptable to drive by. Alice's small thumb stayed high in the air in hopes that someone would stop. Finally, after walking a quarter of a mile, a truck pulled up beside them. A young brunette sat in the front seat, her chocolate brown eyes wide and curious. Her skin was so pale she could have been mistaken for a terminally ill woman who'd broken out of the nearest hospital. "Need any help?" The girl asked, looking between Alice and Jasper.

Alice smiled appreciatively. "Nope. Just a ride."

The girl looked skeptical, looking around a bit. She jerked her head back towards the spot where Alice's now useless Porsche sat. "Is that your car? It broke down?"

Alice nodded. The girl pursed her lips and motioned for them to get in. Her rusty red truck looked even older than the Porsche. It was probably a 1950's model. Jasper opened the door to allow Alice in. She smiled gratefully before hopping into the cab of the truck, watching as a few chunks of red paint flickered to the pavement. "We're going to Seattle, so you can just drop us off as close to there as you're going. And the stuff we have with us are the only important things we have, so you don't need to go back to our car."

"Seattle?" The girl raised a delicate eyebrow. "I'm going to Forks, which is only about 3 hours away. I can just drop you off on my way home."

"Sounds good to me." Jasper said, looking down at Alice to see if she approved or not. She nodded her head gently. "I'm Jasper, by the way. And this is my sister, Alice."

The girl smiled. "Hi. I'm Isabella, but you can just call me Bella. I'm not a big fan of my full name."

Alice nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean. My real name is Mary Alice. It sounds like a name for one of those prim and proper housewives who spend all their time cleaning and baking pies. I just go by Alice."

No one said anything after that. They drove in silence for a few minutes, Bella paying extra attention to the road. If there was anything Alice hated more than silence, it was awkward silence. She clasped her hands on her lap, tapping her thumbs to the beat in her head. Her fingers were itching to turn on the radio, but she didn't want to Bella to yell at her. Or worse, throw them out.

"So…" Bella said, trying to think of something to say. She hated awkward silences almost as much as Alice did. "Why are you two heading to Seattle?"

"To see our mother." Alice answered. "She lives up there."

"Oh." Bella said, pursing her full lips. She could feel Alice staring at her and a light blush crept across her cheeks. "Do you live out here? In Phoenix?"

Alice shook her head. "I live in Los Angeles with my sister, Rose. But Jazz lives on the Air Force base in Tucson. I came here to pick him up on my mother's orders." Bella nodded, waiting for Alice to continue. "What are you going to Forks for?"

"To see my dad." Bella's father Charlie had lived in Forks for as long as Bella could remember. The brutally boring summers and holidays in the Olympic peninsula were unfortunately engraved in her brain. Nothing more painful than spending three months with someone you have nothing in common with. "He's a police chief up there. My mom and him divorced years ago. I live with her in Phoenix."

Alice smiled. "That's nice that you're going to visit your father." She commented.

"My mom kind of forces me." Bella admitted. Her mother and father occasionally talked; they hadn't parted on particularly bad terms. Her mom had just fallen out of love. Bella knew her father loved her and missed her, and her mother always seemed to be able to guilt her into spending sometime with him in Forks. "Trust me, I'd much rather spend my summer with my boyfriend in California. Even though I look albino, I actually really enjoy the sun."

Alice cocked her head slightly to the right and turned a bit to face Bella, accidentally jabbing Jasper in the ribs. She expected him to hiss or to tell her to be careful, but he was fast asleep. No wonder he was no help in the conversation area. "Where at in California?"

"San Francisco."

"Oh."

"Yup."

"That's nice."

"Very."

"California's great."

"I agree."

There was a bit of a break in the conversation between the two girls before Bella finally spoke up. "Do you have a boyfriend?" She asked Alice, turning her head to look at the slightly shorter girl. She was tiny, like borderline dwarfism tiny. She couldn't be over 5'0", even with her spiky hair. Bella wanted to ask her about it – she'd never seen a hairstyle like that. It stuck up at all angles, and was cropped close to her head. She didn't want to pry and also didn't want to offend the girl, especially considering the hair complimented her small face wonderfully.

Alice laughed softly at Bella's question. Bella looked over again when the girl laughed. There was something mesmerizing about her. Her hair, her face, and that laugh that sounded like wind chimes. "Nope. No boyfriend. Never had one before."

Bella was shocked. How could someone who was both beautiful and friendly have never had a boyfriend? "How come?" She asked, no longer caring about not prying.

Alice smiled slyly. "I don't like guys."

"Oh. So you…" Bella wasn't sure how to continue.

"I'm attracted to girls." Alice finished for her, smiling as Bella's face turned scarlet. "You don't have to feel weird around me, you know. I'm not gonna try to jump your bones or anything."

Bella cleared her throat, even more heat rushing to her cheeks. "No, no. I… I didn't think that. I just… Yeah. Never mind."

Alice laughed again – that laugh that made Bella instinctively look over. The small girl's sapphire blue eyes were closed, and her lips were slightly turned up at the corners. She looked utterly relaxed. After a minute or two of silence, Bella opened her mouth again. She wasn't usually so nosey. She wasn't sure what had come over her. "Do you have a girlfriend?" She asked. But Alice was asleep, that soft smile still on her lips.

* * *

Hope you liked it! If you read it, please review and let me know what you think. I don't want to continue if I'm not getting any feedback. And if you have any suggestions for future chapters than please feel free to message me.


	2. Sexts

**Author's Note:** Ta dah! Here it is: Chapter Two of "All Is Love." First of all, I would like to thank everyone for your support of this story. The night I posted it, I fell asleep with 1 review. The next afternoon, I had 17. And now I have a whopping 31! Incredible! Although, I've come across a problem; there are two reviews that are in Spanish (I think). If anyone could translate them for me, that would be great. Thank you for reading, favoriting, alerting, and reviewing this story. I'm glad to see you're all enjoying it. A little tid bit of information for you all: I'm in love with the "Where The Wild Things Are" soundtrack. My username and the title of this fanfic are songs from the soundtrack. Go check it out. Also, Alice's ringtone is "Rocket" by Goldfrapp. I'm obsessed with that song.  
**Disclaimer: **You know the drill: I don't own anything. All belongs to S. Meyer.

* * *

**Sexts**

Alice's ocean blue eyes snapped open, taking in her surroundings. She looked around warily and tried to pinpoint her location. Jasper was sleeping beside her, his head against the window. To the right of her, a little White Castle was attached to the side of a gas station. Cars were parked all around her, people eagerly filling up on gas. Her hands grazed the soft leather seats of whoever's truck she was in…

She turned to look behind her, a small smile lighting up her face as she glimpsed the girl who was leaning nonchalantly against the old, red Ford. Her hands were fidgeting, and her brown eyes were staring down at them. Her hair made a curtain around her face, shielding most of her jaw and cheeks. All Alice could make out were those pretty eyes.

It was strange – _Bella_ was strange. There was something about her that was both mysterious and insanely attractive. Alice knew better than anyone not to screw around with a straight girl – experimenting with Tanya was one of the biggest mistakes she'd ever made. As soon as the redhead had had her fun, she'd run off with some Spanish Casanova and left Alice behind to wallow in self-pity. But Bella… she seemed so much different.

Alice was tempted to ask her if she would ever consider being with a girl, not just intimately but in any form of a relationship; she thought against it. No need to scare the poor girl off when they'd only just met. And there was no need to get Bella's boyfriend pissed off about some her hitting on _his _girl.

Bella pulled the pump out of the gas tank and set it back on the stand. She slammed the gas tank shut and looked towards the car, nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw Alice's tiny face peeking out the open window. "Hey." Alice said in her singsong voice. Bella smiled, waving shyly.

She reached for the handle and tugged, pulling the heavy door open and motioning for Alice to scoot over so she could sit. Alice didn't budge. "Alice, seriously. Move over. I need to fit in here too." Alice shook her head and gently pushed Bella away from her.

"There's a food place right here, and God only knows how much candy in that little store." She pointed her perfectly manicured hand towards the gas station. "Why are we still sitting here? I'm starved!"

Bella rolled her eyes and allowed Alice to move her out of the way. The smaller girl leapt from the car, landing gracefully on her feet. Bella was envious. If only she could be that graceful.

Alice nearly danced to the doors, craving the food that was only seconds away. She may be small, but she ate a whole lot. Rosalie had affectionately christened her the family garbage disposal. Anything they couldn't finish was passed over to Alice. She would eat it without question. Bella, on the other hand, ate like a mouse, and wasn't half as excited about stopping by some greasy fast food joint.

Alice skipped to the counter, ordering herself food, then moved out of the way so Bella could order. The brunette pursed her lips and looked at the menu above the cashier. Nothing looked appetizing. "Can I just get a medium drink?" The blonde cashier, looking miserable, handed her and Alice a cup and walked over to make sure the cooks got Alice's order. Bella caught a quick glimpse of her nametag. Her name was Lauren. Lauren walked over to her curly haired coworker, who was working the empty drive through, and started giggling about something. The curly haired brunette looked over at Alice and giggled, tugging at her hair and whispering into Lauren's ear. The two burst into laughter.

Bella glared at them and looked over to Alice, who was filling her cup to the top with soda. She popped on a lid, slid in a stray, and gave Bella a curious look. She shook her head, letting her know that it was nothing to worry about, and filled her cup with water.

Alice found a booth and plopped down on the plastic bench, setting her cup in front of her. The straw was held firmly between her naturally pink lips as she sipped thoughtfully. Bella took a seat across from her, setting her drink down as well, although she wasn't too thirsty anymore. She was pissed at those stuck up cashiers.

Alice perked up as Lauren, with her silky blonde hair and bored expression, set down her tray of food at the cash register. It was overflowing with chicken rings, sliders, and cartons of fries. Bella waited as Alice grabbed her food and stumbled over, the tray tipping precariously.

"How the hell can you eat that much?" Bella asked incredulously, her eyes wide. Alice giggled and took a seat, slamming down her tray.

"Not sure. But I love food… Well, eating it. Not making it." Alice dunked a chicken ring in her barbecue sauce and bit a chunk out of it. Bella shook her head and laughed softly.

"I love making it, not so much eating it." Bella admitted. Bella was always in charge of cooking. Her mother couldn't cook to save her life; the last time her mother had tried, their house nearly burned down and the fire department had kicked up most of the grass in their front yard as they hurriedly rushed in to make sure the flames were put out. And Charlie only knew how to dial take out. Pizza was delicious, but not everyday. Variety was a necessity.

"Maybe you can cook for me sometime." Alice said flirtatiously, her teeth gleaming. Bella's heart picked up speed. Not only was Alice breathtakingly beautiful, but the tone she'd used, suggesting that the two of them spend more time together, was almost too much to handle. Bella couldn't quite pinpoint what was making her react this way. It wasn't like she was attracted to Alice or anything. At least she didn't _think _she was.

Before Bella got the chance to respond, her phone made a loud dinging noise. She pulled it out of her back pocket and looked at the screen. A box popped up on the screen proclaiming, _One new text message_. She clicked on it and read the short text from her boyfriend, Edward. She missed him already. Long distance relationships were a bitch.

Alice stared at Bella's expression, trying to read her face. She looked excited but also a bit upset. Alice couldn't get a grasp on what Bella was feeling – that was Jasper's forte, not hers. She was more of the psychic type. She'd get feelings about a situation or relationship and get most of the important details right. When Rosalie and her high school sweetheart, Royce, were dating, Alice gave them a year, nine months, and twelve days. He broke up with her at 11:54 on their one year, nine month, eleventh day anniversary. That had really freaked out her mother, Esme. The look she'd given Alice was a purely shocked one – she looked unsure of whether or not to lock the pixie up in a mental institution.

Alice waited patiently as Bella texted whoever back, her thin fingers typing away at her keyboard. "Sorry." Bella apologized as she set her phone on the table. Alice shrugged as she popped a few fries into her mouth, stuffing her cheeks. Not a minute later, Bella's cell phone buzzed again. She eagerly reached for the phone and smiled coyly as she read the text, a faint blush spreading along her neck and cheeks. She looked up at Alice then quickly looked back down at her phone when she noticed Alice was watching her. Her cheeks grew even redder.

Bella replied and set the phone on the table, reaching for one of Alice's fries. Alice mock glared at Bella, pursing her pink lips. "Sorry." Bella apologized. "Watching people eat always makes me hungry."

Alice laughed sympathetically. "I know how that is, trust me. Just hearing someone say the word "food" puts me in a frenzy." She finished one of her mini burgers as Bella reached for a fry. The phone buzzed again on the table. Alice looked at Bella, who was preoccupied with taking a nibble of her fry, and chanced it. She lunged across the table and swiped the phone.

"Hey!" Bella said. "Give me that!" She didn't seem upset, just extremely embarrassed; the color was returning to her cheeks rapidly.

"Not until I see who is so important that you are choosing to ignore me to text them."

She clicked on the unread message, and her eyes nearly popped out of her skull as she read the text from a person listed simply as "Edward." Alice burst into a fit of giggles, sliding the phone across the table to Bella as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Bella read the text – which said, "You're so sexy. I can't wait to get you back in my bed and just fuck you," – and groaned. Edward just had to choose this moment to send her one of the most erotic – at least in Bella's book – text messages he could think off.

"Thanks for stealing my phone and reading my private conversations, Mary Alice."

Alice's giggling stopped immediately and her face turned to stone. When she moved her hand away from her mouth, Bella got a clear view of glaring eyes and full lips pulled back over straight, white teeth. She let out a low growl and grabbed a hand full of greasy fries.

"Don't." Bella warned, immediately knowing what the small girl was intending to do. Alice smirked and pulled her hand back before flicking the fries right at Bella. She squealed as the fries hit her square in the face, leaving faint tracks of grease along her cheeks. Two fries clung to her hair as she pouted. Alice let out a loud laugh and clutched at her stomach.

As Alice laughed, her eyes screwed shut, Bella yanked a pickle off one of the burgers and flicked it at Alice. It hit her left cheek, sliding down slowly while Alice stared at her in shock. "Payback's a bitch." Bella said politely, giving her a playful smile. Alice dunked a fry in ketchup and was just about to throw it when a sweaty hand clamped around her wrist. A guy only a year or two older than her glared down at her, his black hair looking almost as greasy as the fries on her tray. His nametag read: Eric, Manager.

"Excuse me, but there is no food throwing allowed in here. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." He let go of Alice's hand and crossed his arms over his chest. Bella unleashed a loud, nervous laugh, covering her mouth when Eric changed the target of his glare.

Alice peeled the pickle off her cheek and tossed it on the tray, getting up with the tray and her purse. She pushed past Eric to dump it in the garbage. She set the empty tray on top of the garbage and grasped Bella's arm, linking it with her own. She half dragged the girl out of the White Castle, falling into a fit of giggles as soon as they were out the door. Bella followed suit, her eyes filling with tears from laughing so hard.

"Sorry about stealing your phone. _And_ throwing fries at you." Alice apologized.

"And sorry for calling you Mary Alice and hitting you in the cheek with a pickle." Bella responded sincerely.

"Even I have to admit that was a good shot."

"Same here. I was surprised I didn't miss. I have horrible aim."

"Then kudos to you."

Alice kept her arm linked with Bella's as they reached the front of the gas station. Alice wanted a Dr. Pepper and Reese's peanut butter cups for the drive. Bella reached for the door, but Alice grabbed her hand to stop her. She reached forward, standing up on her tiptoes, and gently pulled the fries from Bella's hair. Bella could feel Alice's warm breath on her face as she wiped the grease from her cheeks. "All better." Alice exclaimed as she pulled away. The absence of Alice's breath on her skin made Bella whimper softly.

Alice stepped into the chilly, over air-conditioned store, goose bumps sprouting on her arms. She rubbed them gently as she walked to the fridges, reaching in to get herself a bottle of Dr. Pepper. "Want anything to drink?" She turned to Bella and asked. Bella nodded, leaning forward to grab herself a Pepsi.

Bella trailed behind Alice as she navigated the candy aisles, searching for anything to satiate her sweet tooth. She grabbed a pack of peanut butter cups, a Hershey's bar, and a Twix. She looked to Bella as she bent down to search the shelves. Her fingers grazed the shiny, smooth wrappers of the candy bars, but when she stood, she held nothing in her hands. "I don't really want any candy."

Alice rolled her eyes, not understanding how someone could resist candy, and grabbed a king size Kit-Kat bar that she fully intended on sharing with Bella later. She continued walking, stopping when she got to the junk food. "Want any of this?"

Bella went to shake her head, but she caught a glimpse of Alice's stern expression and decided against it. She yanked a bag of Cheetos and Tostitos off the shelf, cradling them in her arms. "Just these."

Alice nodded and motioned for Bella to follow her to the cashier. They set everything on the counter and waited patiently as the cashier rang them up. "That'll be $13.93, ladies." She said, smiling kindly. Alice took out a debit card, not having thought about bringing any cash, and handed it over.

"Wait!" Bella said before the woman could swipe the card. She grabbed her wallet from her back pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill and a single. "Here," she said, thrusting the money towards the woman, "this should cover my things."

Alice slapped Bella on the wrist in warning, glaring until Bella lowered her hand. "Don't even think about it. I will_ not_ allow you to pay for that."

Bella regrettably stuffed the bills back in her wallet, watching as Alice grabbed the plastic bags full of goods. She chirped a goodbye to the cashier and skipped out of the store, Bella shuffling behind her. "Thanks for that." Bella called to her, smiling.

"It's no problem at all. You're driving us all the way to Seattle. This is the least I could do." Alice said as she climbed into the rusty truck and slid in next to Jasper. She set the plastic bags by his feet, smiling when she saw he was still sleeping peacefully. She patted his shoulder affectionately and slid in closer, giving Bella enough room to drive comfortably.

"And it's no problem at all for me, either." Bella said, smiling as she pulled out of the gas station. She reached forward and flicked on the radio, a soft song blasting through the speakers.

"The Fray?" Alice asked, referring to the song. Bella nodded. She was surprised that Alice recognized it. "They're amazing." Alice leaned back, allowing her head to rest against the back of the seat.

"Don't go falling asleep on me again." Bella teased, glancing toward Alice, who lifted her head with a mischievous smile.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. We have so much to talk about. Like who the hell Edward is and why he was sexting you…"

* * *

The "All Is Love" Edward is such a dirty bird. Him and his sexting *shakes head in disapproval* Anyways, you all motivate me to continue. Without you, this story is nothing. I would really like to hear some things you all would like to see happen during the story. So if you have any suggestions, feel free to pass them along. Now go ahead and review! If you don't, I'll throw fries at you. Don't want that happening now, do ya?  
~~WorriedShoes014


	3. 20 Questions

**Author's Note:** Holy *expletive of your choice*! Have I really not updated in almost 3 months? That right there is blasphemy, folks. But don't worry. I've got a long, good, honest line of excuses to spew out. How about this: A day or two after my last update my sister surprised our family with some great news – she was getting married. Some not so great news? She was getting married in a little less than a month and wanted us to help her plan it. Yeaaah. Then, I had finals to get to, which were the biggest inconvenience in the world. And for the past month I've been planning my vacation to Orlando, Florida in 3 weeks. I'm going to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so, naturally, I had to re-read the whole series, which has occupied a huge chunk of my times. Long story short? I'm a horrible writer who deserves heaps of cyber bullying. Have at it.  
**Disclaimer: **You should know the drill by now. Stephenie Meyer, this is all yours. Except the plot. It's alllllll miiiiiine.

* * *

_Previously on "All Is Love"_

"Don't go falling asleep on me again." Bella teased, glancing toward Alice, who lifted her head with a mischievous smile.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. We have so much to talk about. Like who the hell Edward is and why he was sexting you…"

* * *

**20 Questions**

Bella's face flushed at the mention of her boyfriend and his inappropriate texting. She couldn't denythat she had actually liked the messages he'd sent her, or that they may have slightly turned her on, but she'd sure as hell try to deny it. The last thing she needed was for Alice to think she was some horny chick who spent all of her time "sexting" her boyfriend instead of building a stable relationship.

"He's my boyfriend, the one from California." She slowly explained, clearing her throat. _God, this is embarrassing_, she thought. "He likes to… to talk dirty through texts." Bella shrugged, putting on a nonchalant façade that didn't match her flaming face.

Alice scoffed. "He sounds to me like a chauvinistic pig."

Bella turned to look at the slight girl, whose bone thin arms were tightly crossed over her chest. Her red lips were pursed in an expression that clearly showed how little she thought of Bella's boyfriend. "If you knew him, you wouldn't say that." Bella mumbled, her dark brown hair covering most of her face from Alice's view – a protective veil, keeping her from the smaller girl's penetrating gaze.

"Whatever you say." She said in a singsong voice, rolling her beautiful, sapphire eyes. Just a hint of disdain still plagued her features, and Bella noticed them immediately as she turned to glance at the girl.

"Honestly." She promised, shaking her head. "Yeah, the 'sexting' thing is kind of dumb, but… I love him. And we have to make exceptions for those we love, right?"

Alice quirked an eyebrow, folding her hands neatly in her lap. Bella hadn't sounded so sure about making exceptions for loved ones. And the way she was treating this subject was like it was more of a nuisance to sext than a pleasure. Alice knew for a fact that if she loved someone and said person was sending her dirty texts, it would make her feel special; she wouldn't be worried about what others would think. "Regardless of who he is or what his personality's like, the guy needs some lessons on talking dirty."

Bella face turned scarlet. "So," she said, taking a quick right, causing Alice to slide across the seat and smoosh Jasper into the car door. He didn't even flinch. "Got a girlfriend?" It had been hard enough for Bella to ask it the first time, but it was even harder now, knowing Alice was completely, one hundred percent awake.

Alice giggled and shook her head. "I wish." The look she gave Bella made her shiver, in a good way, of course.

Bella cleared her throat and looked back toward the road. The last thing she needed was to run head-on into someone else before even passing the Arizona state border. "Who was the last girl you dated?"

Alice thought for a second, not quite sure whether to count it as an honest relationship or not. "Well, a few months ago I started fooling around with my friend from college, Tanya. She was just experimenting though. Dropped me for some Abercrombie & Fitch model with a body like a God." She mentally flinched at the memory. It was difficult to tell if college girls were truly lesbians or just looking for some fun.

"Have you ever been in love?" Bella asked, her hands slipping slightly on the steering wheel. Her hands started to sweat whenever she got nervous, and it was her most embarrassing quality. Well, if you didn't count the fact that it was nearly impossible for her to walk across a flat surface without tripping.

"What is this? 20 Questions? If so, then I should be the one to ask a question now."

Bella laughed, and turned towards Alice, waiting for a question. The pixie thought for a second, her forefinger tapping her chin as she searched her mind for a suitable question.

"I got one!" She shouted cheerfully, raising her finger in the air in an "aha!" kind of gesture. Her teeth sparkled. "Do you love Mr. I-Love-Sexting-My-Girfriend-And-Making-Her-Feel-Uncomfortable?"

" For one, he, like the two of us, hates being called by his full name. You can just call him Edward for short." Alice giggled, leaning towards Bella and swatting her arm playfully. Her face flushed. "A-And two, I… I think so. I mean, we get along great, and he's so sweet to me. I've told him I love him – I mean, we have been going out for two years – I'm just not sure that I truly mean it."

Alice paused, absorbing the new information, before speaking in a small voice. "Hun, if you're not sure that you love him after two years, then you don't, and you never will."

Bella looked down at her slick hands, clinging to the steering wheel for dear life. It was funny how much that sentence affected her. It wasn't like she didn't know it was true; she'd always known, but she'd hoped that she'd learn to love him like he loved her – learn to be the loyal Juliet to his always charming Romeo.

"My turn." Bella said, shaking herself out of her trance and re-stating her previous question. "Have you ever been in love?"

Alice thought about it, unsure of whether or not to share the story with Bella. She'd never told anyone the entire story, not even Jasper, her best friend. No matter how beautiful and intriguing this girl was, she certainly wasn't about to confess it all. "Yes. Once."

Bella waited patiently for Alice to continue, and gently shoved her with her shoulder when she didn't continue. "And?"

"And you used up your question. Now it's my turn."

Bella frowned at Alice's smug smile but allowed the girl to ask her question.

"Can I borrow your cell phone? Mine is as dead as a door nail."

Bella sputtered. She'd expected some shocking question that she'd be far too embarrassed to answer.

Alice seemed like the type to thrive on gossip. But this? Totally unexpected. Regardless, she handed

over her crappy little cell phone and watched as Alice punched in a number.

"Thanks." She mouthed, holding the phone up to her ear while twirling a short piece of hair around her finger. Touching her hair had become a recent habit of hers. She did it whenever she was nervous or self-conscious – _especially_ when she was self-conscious.

"Who is this?" The cold voice on the other line spat. It wasn't the greeting one would normally use when answering the phone, but it was the one Alice had anticipated.

"Now, now, Rosie Posie. Is that the way you greet you loving sister?"

"What the hell, Alice?" Rosalie screeched, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. Alice instinctively shrunk away from the phone, wincing at the panic that Rosalie was trying – and failing – to conceal. "Where are you? Are you okay? What happened? Did you get kidnapped? Raped? Is Jasper with you?"

Alice laughed softly. "Slow your roll, Tootsie. I'm fine."

"Don't you dare laugh like this is some kind of joke!" Alice held the phone away from her ear, flinching as Rosalie continued her tirade. Once that girl got going there was no stopping her. "Do you not realize how worried I've been, you dumb bitch? Emmett has been sitting with me, trying to get me to calm down while I tear my hair out. I was _so_ close to calling Esme."

Alice paled at the thought of her mother. If Rose would have called her, which would have been an extremely Rose-like thing to do, it would have killed the poor woman. After all she'd been through with Alice's health issues, she didn't think her mother's heart could withstand much more. Not to mention how disappointed Esme would be to hear her son and daughter had hitched a ride with a complete and total strange without bothering to tell anyone. She could just picture her lecturing her, saying, "What would we do if you went missing? We'd never know where you were."

"I just... I can't believe you, Alice. It's been," She paused, looking towards the clock over her stainless steel stove. "SEVEN HOURS! Seven hours since I last talked to you. I can't – do you realize – I was so – You're so stupid, Alice!"

Alice sighed and listened as someone whispered soothingly to Rosalie. She could hear her sister screeching and thanked God that the phone seemed to be a good distance away from her loud mouth. She loved Rose; they were sisters, always. But the girl could be infuriatingly overprotective. Point and case.

"Hey, Ali." A deep voice rumbled through the speaker. She could hear the grin in Emmett's voice. Sure, the guy was one of the dumbest people she'd ever met, but he was also one of the sweetest. It wasn't exactly his fault that he was gullible and awfully dim-witted. "Sorry about Rose. She's been sorta upset these past couple of hours. You were really worrying her."

"As I was trying to tell her, Em, my phone died. I would have stopped to use a pay phone or something, but then my car broke down and that was the farthest thing from my mind. All I was concerned about was finding a way to Seattle."

"Your little Porsche broke down?" Emmett asked, incredulous. "Damn. It's a shame. You really loved that car." At least someone noticed how attached she was to the old, yellow sports car. Everyone else acted like it was just a car, like it was easily replaceable. Sure. "Sorry, Ali."

"Thanks, Em. Just... just tell Rosalie that everything is fine. Jazz and I found ourselves a ride home. Hopefully we'll see her soon. And tell her that I'm really, _really_ sorry for worrying her." She paused, choosing her words carefully. Unlike Rosalie, Emmett never liked to discuss their frequent break ups. "Are you... joining her? A-Are you coming to Seattle, too?"

"Of course I am!" There it was again, that wide grin that could be heard very clearly in his booming voice. "I'll see you in a couple of days, sis."

Before Alice could protest to his nonchalant use of the word "sis," he hung up. She shut the phone with a snap and handed it to Bella, who stared at her curiously. "Who was that?"

Alice's expression looked quite blank. "I hope you know that counts are your question." She waited for Bella to change her question. She didn't. "That was my sister, Rosalie. She's horribly overprotective. Her boyfriend had to take the phone before she burst a blood vessel." She smiled softly and looked down at her lap. "They're the strangest couple I know. Their personalities are so different."

Bella nodded, waiting patiently for Alice to ask a question. She didn't say anything even after a few minutes of total silence. She could tell Alice was lost in her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry." Alice said, shaking her head. She beamed at Bella. "My turn!" Bella wasn't so sure she liked the expression on the girl's face. "Not to make you uncomfortable or anything, but have you ever done anything with a girl? You know, like, for experimental purposes?"

Right on a cue, a slow, steady blush crept up Bella's neck and ignited her face. Part of her thought that Alice was asking this to try to figure out if Bella would ever be interested in her. The other, more sensible, part knew that Alice was just being curious. After all, this was 20 Questions on steroids. The more probing the questions, the better.

"No." Bella admitted truthfully, not volunteering any more information. She thought for a second about a good question. "If you've ever been with a man, why?" She paused. "I'm not sure if that made sense."

Alice laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the cab of the truck. "It kind of made sense. It was a very clever way of combining two questions." She smirked at Bella, catching on to the brunette's antics. "Anyway, yes, I have. His name was Seth. He was one of my closest friends. We were both sixteen, and I was confused about my sexuality. I thought that maybe if I had sex with a guy, it would help me better understand myself. I used Seth; I knew how much he liked me. Our friendship was never the same after that." She looked down at her feet, which were crossed delicately at the ankle. "It was wrong. To this day I regret it.

"Now the mood needs lightening." Alice grinned broadly at Bella, an evil glint in her bright eyes. Bella gulped. "Does Edward ever talk dirty when you're doing the deed? I mean, I'd think so considering he's so eager to sext." She nearly burst a lung trying to contain her laughter.

Bella started to choke on her saliva and felt her palms get sweaty again. Her grip on the steering wheel started loosening. "Um... he... I... we..." She glared at the windshield, and with a huff, said, "Yes."

Alice stopped trying to control herself. She was overcome with a fit of giggles and clutched the side of her stomach. "You poor thing. I can only imagine his idea of what constitutes as sexy, dirty talk."

Bella scowled. "Now my turn. Why is your hair so short?"

Alice's giggling stopped as soon as the words left Bella's mouth. She knew immediately that she had said the wrong thing. "So much for lightening the mood." The pixie whispered to herself, reaching up to twist a strand of ink black hair around her slim finger. There was no trace of a smile on the tiny girl's face, and she seemed to shy away from Bella. Her demeanor had changed so suddenly.

"A-Alice," Bella said gently, turning away from the empty road for a few seconds to look at the girl sitting beside her. "You really don't have to answer. I'm sorry. I didn't think it would be – "

"It's fine." Alice said, smiling weakly and waving her hand as if trying to rid the truck of the tension. "Two years ago I was – "

Jasper groaned loudly, stretching his arms and legs as much as he could in the tight space. His eyes flickered open, and he turned to face Alice and Bella. The former had stopped talking at the sound of her brother waking up. She looked utterly relieved. "What's going on?" He asked in a thick, groggy voice.

Alice smiled at him, reaching forward to lightly tap the tip of his nose. "You have been sleeping for hours. It's about time you woke up."

Jasper shrugged, not caring that he'd slept away a good chunk of his day. Lord knows he needed the sleep. His friends kept him out at the bars on the weekends – the only time he ever got to sleep in. Being in the Air Force was hard work.

"What did I miss?" He asked, noting how closely Alice was sitting to him. She was avoiding Bella's gaze, and her eyes kept flickering from the floor to Jasper to the windshield. Everywhere but Bella's face. Her hands were clasped tightly together in her lap. Her jaw was clenched. She was glum, upset. Something was bothering her. Her eyes seemed to be focused on something that only she could see; some thoughts that she'd worked hard to bury.

He knew he was right about her mood. He always was. It didn't matter who the person was, either. He could read anyone like an open book. With a quick glance at Bella he could pinpoint how uncomfortable and guilty she looked. Her brown eyes kept alternating from the road to Alice's tiny frame. She looked as if she wanted to propel herself from the moving car.

Jasper stared at them. "Well?" He asked patiently, waiting for one of them to speak up.

"Just getting to know each other." Alice explained, finding her voice again. A smile spread across her face – this one genuine – and she set her hand on Jasper's forearm. "Jazz?"

"Yeah?" He asked tentatively, watching as Alice turned to give Bella a mischievous smile.

"You up for a round of 20 Questions?"

* * *

So, this is the point where I bow down to all of you reviewers. Without you, this story would be abandoned, which a lot of you probably thought it was. Alas, it isn't. It was just on a teeny break. So I'd like to show you all my appreciation. I will post another chapter at the end of the week (as long as I get a good amount of reviews to show that people are still reading), and I'm going to start responding to all the reviews.

**SweetestSuicide:** Teehee, thanks. That word always makes me giggle. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use it.

**Kyraaah1992:** Thank you! I really appreciate the support.

**asd: **You, kind citizen, are a doll. Thank you oodles for translating that for me! I'm lousy at Spanish – I wanted to be an odd ball and took French in school. And thanks for the kind words, too. I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

**arcticsoul:** Hehe, my brother is the inspiration for her nickname. I christened him the family garbage disposal ages ago. And thanks! I feel that their powers are an important part of the series. It would be a waste of an opportunity to not make them shine through in this AH fic.

**Jenny:** I had to translate your review using Babel Fish, which is janky as hell, but I think I got the idea of what you were saying. Thanks so much for liking the story and for the compliment. It's always nice to see your writing is appreciated and know that I appreciate your kind words and comments.

**ethans mom: **Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

**manipulativerunner:** Really? I love me some Edward Cullen, but Alice is definitely the cutest character in the series. And Alice/Bella is so adorable it makes me want to puke... in a good way. I can't say thank you enough for the compliments and excitement! Readers like you are what keeps me going. You, mademoiselle, are the reason Emmett is included in this chapter at all. I want to show that although he's an airhead, he has a big heart. You'll see more of him towards the end of the fic, along with Rose. And I don't want to spoil anything, but Bella will not be jealous of Rose. Yes, she'll notice she's stunning, but Bella's a confident chickadee. She loves herself and is comfortable with her looks.

**pazu1:** I'm sure you've realized I wasn't writing the next chapter, aha, but it's done now! And posted! REJOICE! And I agree. Alice is a cutie.

**WaLe: **THANK YOU! And after 3 months, I feel compelled to admit I'm a horrible person. Don't hate me! *begs*

**NandinhaMa: **I'm glad to hear it! Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first two.

**bleed4her:** Bahaha, I know. He's creeptastic. And not to mention lame. As Alice states in this chapter, he needs some lessons on how to talk dirty.

**Flypaper-Writer:** Wow, really? *bear hug* I'm glad my story could make your night. Also, you're review just made MY night.

**amUous:** No need to be sad! Chapter 3 has FINALLY arrived, albeit three months late. But oh well. Better late than never, right? ….right!

**This-Years-Pink: **Thank youuuu! I hope you like the new chapter.

**willnevergettiredofYOU: **MORE than a month, actually... unfortunately. But here's the update! Enjoy, love.

**Mac and Cheese Duffy:** Screw, Edward. I'm all about Alice/Bella. So this story will be Alice/Bella to the very end. Edward will be out of the picture soon... I hope. Let's pray that Bella doesn't chicken out and stay with him...

**Hier: **Lovely, your wish is my command. Enjoy chapter 3.

Until next time!  
~WorriedShoes014


	4. Constellations

**Author's Note: **It's Chapter 4! Woohoo! I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I think because it's got a lot of emotions surrounding it: sadness, happiness, peacefulness, excitement, love. It allows you to know a little more about the characters, and Esme especially. And there's definite fluff between Bella and Alice, which I actually really enjoyed writing. There's something growing between them, and it will continue to grow all the way to Seattle. So read on, kind friends, and enjoy!  
**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns everything but the plot.

* * *

****

Constellations

Alice sat silently in Bella's truck, listening as the soft music wafted through the speakers. Jasper sat on her right, staring out the window at the bright street lights and navy sky. The stars looked almost invisible against the glow of the street lights.

Bella sat in the driver's seat, staring intently out the windshield as she looked around them. There weren't many people on the highway except for them due to the time. She look down at the clock in her dashboard.10:23 it read. She sighed and looked to the quiet travelers sitting beside her. "Want me to pull over soon? We can look for a motel. There's supposed to be one over here somewhere."

They were in the middle of nowhere Nevada, not far from Ely. It was quiet and desert-like, no major places for several miles. Alice spoke up, her voice laced with content. "Pull up over there." She pointed to a highway exit, and Bella, thinking she saw somewhere to stay, obeyed.

She pulled onto a small road, looking around for a motel, but there was nothing but open fields. "Just keep driving." Alice commanded, and Bella, once again, listened.

She drove for about five minutes, away from the harsh lights of the intersection, before Alice pointed once again. "Pull into the field."

"The field?" Bella asked, turning to the look at the girl as if she were crazy. She wanted to sleep in the middle of a field? She wondered why Jasper wasn't questioning his sister.

"Just trust me, Bella." So she did.

She pulled gently into the field, putting the car in park. Alice reached over Jasper, popped open the car door, and gently nudged him out. He stepped onto the firm ground, stretching his arms and legs, and breathed in the fresh air.

Alice hopped out of the truck after him, and Bella heard a click as she opened the back of the truck and climbed in. She tentatively opened the driver's side door and looked at Alice, who lay with her hands behind her head and stared up at the stars. She didn't look up at Bella but could feel the girl's questioning gaze. "We couldn't see the stars from the highway." She answered. Although it wasn't much of an answer, Bella understood.

Jasper climbed into the back with his sister, though he didn't lay down. He sat near the edge, kicking his feet soundlessly against the dirt and staring up at the twinkling stars. Alice looked up at Bella, waiting for her to join her.

Bella climbed into the back, laying down next to Alice. It wasn't the most comfortable bedding in the world, but she ceased her internal complaints as soon as she looked up.

The stars danced in the dark sky, bright and lively. She began to understand why Alice had been so adamant on her stopping over here.

"They're beautiful." She whispered, wishing now more than ever that she payed attention on elementary school trips to the planetarium. "I wish I remembered the constellations."

Alice pulled a thin arm from underneath her head and pointed to the side. "That right there is Cassiopeia. See? It looks like a double v."

Bella looked up, her eyes landing on the constellation Alice was describing.

"It's brightest star is Alpha Cassiopeia. It's at the bottom of that v." She pointed again and waited patiently for Bella to find where she was indicating before lowering her hand. "Named for the Greek mythological queen of Ethiopia. Poseidon hung her in the stars after Perseus killed her. She hangs upside down half the year as punishment for her vanity."

Bella stared at the tiny girl beside her who seemed so lost in her own thoughts. She looked peaceful, happy. Her wide eyes scanned the dark sky, looking for more constellations. "There!" She said, pointing not far from Cassiopeia, and Bella tore her eyes away from her porcelain face to stare into the stars. "That's Cepheus. Husband of Cassiopeia and king of Ethiopia. He was hung in the stars with her. His brightest star is Alpha Cepheus."

"Where is it?" Bella asked, searching through the of stars for the one Alice was going on about.

"Right there." Alice's cold hand reached over and gently moved Bella's head a little more to the left. "It looks kind of like a triangle."

Bella's heart hammered against her ribcage as she silently identified the star. "You see it now?" Alice asked. Bella nodded, noting Alice's fingers still resting on her flaming cheeks. With a twinge of disappointment, Bella felt her hand move away, focusing once again on the constellations.

"And see that one?" Alice chirped, her voice high and excited. Bella could tell how much she loved constellations – and Greek mythology – not just by the amount of information she knew, but also by the excitement in her voice when she spoke of it. "That's Andromeda. It kind of resembles a stick figure." She stated thoughtfully. "Brightest star is Alpha Andromeda."

Bella looked up at the constellation Alice was tracing with her finger, realizing that she was right. It did slightly resemble a stick figure, making it easier to pinpoint than the others. It sat on the other side of Cassiopeia, slightly above it and behind her, Alice, and Jasper. "What's the story behind it?" She asked, genuinely interested.

"Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia. She was beautiful. Cassiopeia, who was also very beautiful, boasted that she had more beauty than the daughters of Poseidon. As a sort of punishment for Cassiopeia's vanity, Poseidon tied Andromeda to a rock to be fed to a sea monster. A brave young hero, Perseus, offered to save her, though he wanted her hand in marriage as a thank you. Cepheus and Cassiopeia promised that as long as she was saved, he could marry her."

She paused there, staring up at the tiny lights in the sky. "Well," Bella said anxiously, turning to face Alice. "Did he save her?"

Alice chuckled softly. "Yeah, he did. But the king and queen hadn't kept their promise, and her marriage to her uncle, Phineus, continued. Perseus, feeling cheated, defeated those who stood in the way of his marriage of Andromeda, including Cassiopeia and Cepheus."

"Wow." Bella stated, turning back to the constellation. Her mother and her used to always search the sky for the Big and Little Dipper when she smaller. She always thought it was just something silly someone had come up with. She'd never realized all the stories these stars held. "That's intense."

Alice giggled, her mouth widening into a bright smile. "Yeah. And interesting. Now if only I could find Perseus..."

"There." Jasper said, pointing to a jumble of stars that lay directly over Alice and Bella. "It looks like a line with a smaller line branching off on the right. It's brightest star is – "

"Let me guess," Bella chimed in, putting her index finger to her chin in a sarcastically thoughtful manner. "Alpha Perseus?"

Both Alice and Jasper laughed. "Yep." Jasper said, nodding. "It was always my favorite constellation."

"That," Alice began, sitting up on her elbows as she smiled happily at her older brother. "is because you're a closet romantic. You want to be that knight in shining armor that sweeps a girl off her feet."

He rolled his eyes turning to look at the two girls. Bella was still lying on her back, staring at the siblings with a small smile on her face. Alice was sitting up now, her legs crossed Indian style as she surveyed Jasper. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's not!" Alice said, shaking her head. "It's sweet, actually."

"Sweet isn't my thing."

"Stop being such an idiot. It is too."

"Whatever you say, Ali."

"I'm always right, Jazz."

He rolled his eyes again, though the corners of his mouth were turned up. Bella stared at the two in the light of the moon and stars, taking in their appearances. They couldn't be more opposite. Alice was impossibly tiny with her unusually short black hair and milky white complexion. Jasper was tall and muscular with a buzz-cut and sun-kissed skin.

"You guys look nothing alike." she blurted subconsciously. The pair turned to look at her.

"We're not related." Jasper answered. "We're adopted siblings."

"Oh," Bella said, feeling their eyes on her even after they'd answered the question. "I wish I had siblings."

"It's not that great. Trust me." Jasper answered nonchalantly as Alice reached over and slapped his arm. He rubbed it, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "That hurt."

"Oh, hush up." She said, rolling her eyes. She ran her tiny hand through her hair, tugging gently on the strands. She looked up to find Bella staring intently at her hair. "I never got to tell you the story behind it, did I?"

Bella shook her head. She felt uncomfortable now for having asked in the first place. It was obviously a touchy subject for the pixie, and she didn't want to make her relive what ever bad memories were associated with the haircut.

Alice noticed the regretful look on Bella's face and reached forward, tenderly grabbing her hand. As soon as their skin met, a jolt of what could only be described as electricity ran up Bella's arm. Without thinking she pulled her hand away from Alice's. She wondered if she had felt it, too. With a glance she realized that she wasn't alone – the way that Alice was staring at her hand was a definite sign that she'd had the same response to the touch.

"Bella," she said in a reassuring voice, acting as though nothing had happened. Bella stared into her ocean eyes as she smiled calmly. "I don't mind you asking."

Alice looked over at Jasper, who was staring at her curiously. He knew how much she hated talking about this. When people would ask about her hair, she'd claim she did it because she hated her long hair. He knew that was one of the biggest lies she'd ever told, though. Alice had loved her long hair almost as much as Rosalie loved herself.

"Two years ago," she began, just like when they were in the truck. "I was diagnosed with lupus. It's painful if I don't take medication, and it's really tedious. Esme, my mother, was so stressed when she found out. She tried to find the best doctor to help me, the best medications to ease the symptoms, the things that would make me happiest in a time when I was dealing with so much.

"She took me to the doctor often for checkups. About eight months ago my doctors decided to switch me to stronger medications because I was still getting rashes and the pain wasn't entirely gone. Esme did her best to help me and be by my side. She was great. Always helping me. I couldn't ask for a better mother.

Esme had been having some problems around the time that I got my meds changed. She'd been having tenderness in her breasts and there was a lump, but she ignored it. She thought it would probably go away and that she needed to focus all of her attention on me. Five months ago she finally told me about the lump. I freaked out, obviously, and dragged her to the doctor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer."

She paused, her eyes filling with tears. Bella reached forward without thinking and grabbed her hand. The electricity was gone; all that was left was a soft tingle that ran through her body. Alice closed her eyes for a few seconds, taking a shaky breath.

"It's only stage two; it's curable. It's still hard, for all of us." She looked to Jasper, whose head was down. She gave him a watery smile. "She lost all of her hair cause of the chemotherapy. Jasper already didn't have any hair thanks to the military, but I wanted to show her that even though I had school and couldn't always be there, I was still supportive. So while I was visiting her during Spring Break, I went into the bathroom with a pair of scissors and just cut it all off."

She released a long breath and smiled sadly. Bella leaned forward and pulled the girl into a hug, rubbing a gentle circle in her back. Holding Alice was like holding air; she was so tiny that Bella's arms could almost reach around her thin frame and touch her own shoulders. Alice buried her face in Bella's neck and mumbled a "thank you."

They sat there, holding each other, for what felt like hours. The sky was getting even darker, and the stars were brightening. Jasper's soft voice cracked through the quiet like lightening. "Maybe we should get going."

Alice untangled herself from Bella and wiped her eyes sloppily. She smiled at Bella, something glowing in her eyes that Bella couldn't quite pinpoint. "Jasper's right. We should probably go."

Bella nodded and climbed out of the back, walking towards the driver's side. She noticed Alice crawling towards Jasper, her eyebrows knitted together. He leaned forward, his voice low. She got into the cab and shut the door behind her, flicking on the radio as her familiar music filled the the truck. A few moments later, Alice jumped into the car and Jasper followed. He shut the door with a loud bang and gave Bella a strange, almost _angry,_ look. She pulled her hair towards her face, using it as a shield to hide herself behind.

"So where to?" Alice asked as Bella pulled out of the field. Her tires screeched as she made her way onto the road, heading in the direction they had come from. She pulled back onto the intersection, going North.

"Ely, Nevada. It's a small town, but it has a couple motels. I heard the Bristlecone Motel is supposed to be nice, so we could stay there."

Alice nodded at the information and stared out the windshield, her head tilted slightly to the left. Every few seconds she would turn to look at Bella, that expression still on her face. A couple of times, Bella would turn to look back at her. Instead of blushing – which Bella would have undoubtedly done if the roles were reversed – Alice would just smile cheerfully and then turned forward again.

It wasn't long before they got to the motel. They found a trio of rooms next to each other and headed towards them. Bella carried a small overnight bag, Alice had her large black purse, and Jasper had... nothing. "You didn't bring anything?" Bella asked him as they made their way to the rooms.

Jasper shook his head. "I have some stuff at home still for when I come to visit."

Bella nodded in response and unlocked her room. She went to say a simple "Good night" to Alice and Jasper, but Alice rushed forward and pulled her into a tight hug. She had incredible strength for such a small person. "Thank you, Bella."

Bella didn't understand what exactly she'd done other than offer comfort, but she returned Alice's hug, closing her eyes tightly. They stayed like this for a few seconds before Jasper cleared his throat. Alice pulled away, her right hand trailing down Bella's arm and slipping into her palm. She gave her a light squeeze before pulling away and walking towards her room.

Jasper waved at her before closing his door, and she gave a halfhearted wave back. Alice, however, stood in her doorway, peering around the side of it to smile at Bella. "Sweet dreams, Bella." She said. And before Bella could respond, Alice closed her door.

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it, folks. The reason behind Alice's hair. It would have been way too soap opera if I had her living in an asylum until Esme broke her out, or something. Thanks to you all for the kind reviews - I will be PMing you in response from now on instead of posting them with the chapter. It's just easier, I think. And don't be shy about suggestions. I adore them and could most likely fit your suggestion somewhere into the story, as long as it's something logical. I'll also be posting the music I listened to while writing the chapter at the ends of each chapter, so look below for that. About the chapter: Don't fret about Mama Esme. She's a tough lady; she can pull through. Lastly, I'll be on vacation from July 14th to July 20th. I probably won't get to writing again till the 23rd. Forgive me, but Orlando, Florida needs me! Now go review; your thoughts keep me going.

**P.S.** 104 alerts. Woah! Now if only all of those people could review... C;

**MUSIC FOR CHAPTER 4: **"Welcome Home" - Radical Face, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - Arcade Fire


	5. Love and Heartbreak

**Author's Note:** My vacation was incredible! Disney was so much fun, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was unbelieveable. I was so excited on Tuesday night to get home, but when we got here, we found my cat really ill and barely alive. We put him to sleep about 6 hours ago because his kidneys were failing, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I feel so heartbroken and horrible for doing that to him. Everytime I pass one of his toys or his food bowl I start crying, and I started bawling during dinner cause he wasn't there begging for food. It's been a really horrible day, and writing has really helped me take my mind off of things for a couple of hours. So there should be quite a few chapters popping up within the next month. I've learned from this experience that writing is like a glue stick: it keeps things together for a couple of hours before things start falling apart again. Anyway, this chapter is kind of confusing. The first part is first-person and from Jasper's POV - it's the conversation him and Alice had in the last chapter. Then the rest is third-person - which I usually use. Without further ado, here's chapter 5.  
**Disclaimer:** You should know by now that I own nothing but the plot...

* * *

**Love and Heartbreak**

**JASPER'S POV**

Alice hopped out of the back of Bella's truck, a dreamy smile lighting up her face. She went to walk around me, but I gently grabbed her arm before she could. She lifted her head and stared at me, trying to pinpoint my expression. Although I'd always been better at reading people, she could tell I wasn't pleased.

"Jasper," she said calmly, raising a thin eyebrow. Her eyes were even wider than usual and her content smile was long gone. I felt a pang of guilt for being a buzz-kill, but I couldn't let this stranger hurt her. I couldn't see her catatonic again. "Is something wrong?"

By now she _had_ to know what was the matter, had to know what was bothering me. But she still had that innocent look plastered on her face. I nearly scoffed. Alice, innocent? That's like saying the sky is magenta or the clouds are made of Cool Whip. I had to give credit where was due, though. She was good at playing dumb.

I summed up what was bothering me in one simple word – or name, rather. "Bella."

I watched as her eyes lost contact with mine and her expression turned stormy. "Jazz, don't start. Please. Don't start."

"Am I not allowed to be concerned?"

"No, you are."

"Alright. I'm concerned."

"I don't want to hear it."

I let out a long, overdue sigh. "Alice. You know better than I do that this will end badly."

"Oh, really?" Her hands dug into her hips. This was the ultimate sign that Alice was pissed. At that point, though, she looked _beyond _pissed. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen her this upset with me. It was usually Rosalie that caused all of the trouble. "_What_ will end badly?"

"Whatever is going on between you and Bella."

"What's going on between Bella and I?"

I paused, gathering my thoughts. I wasn't sure how to phrase it in a way that would put her down easy. "You're interested in her." She looked like she wanted to protest; I put my hand up to silence her. I wasn't anywhere near finished. "I can tell by the way your face lights up whenever she talks, looks at you, _breathes_, for God's sake. You trusted her enough to tell her about Esme... You're falling for her. And she's straight. She has a boyfriend."

"I know that." she mumbled, dropping the act. There was no point in denying it any longer. We both knew she was far from subtle when it came to her feelings.

"I just don't want a repeat of Tanya. I can't handle seeing you like that again."

She was silent, her hands held together tightly. I could tell by her posture that she knew what she was doing would never work. No matter what she was feeling, the feelings would never be mutual. In the end Bella would walk off into the sunset with Edward while Alice sat in their wake, drowning in misery. I reached out and patted her shoulder. I hated seeing her like this.

"Hey," I said. "I never meant that she wouldn't fall for you or that she hasn't already." She didn't seem comforted by my lie. We both knew what I had meant. "I just want to warn you. Not everything is a fairytale, Ali. Not every girl finds her Prince Charming, or in your case, Princess." She smiled weakly.

"I know, Jasper. Trust me. I may be your little sister, but I'm not a child. I don't want to get hurt again. But there's this connection I feel, and I don't really know how to explain it. When she touched my hand... I just knew that there was something between us. She has to feel it, too. She just has to." She stopped speaking, a deep frowning consuming her small face. Then, as though it were an afterthought, "I _hope_ she feels it, too. I don't want to hurt again. I just want to be happy."

I pulled her forward into a bone-crunching hug. She let out a loud squeak and laid limply in my arms as I picked her up. "I love you, Alice." Her hair tickled my chin.

"I love you, too, Jasper."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

**THIRD-PERSON POV**

_Knock_,_ knock_,_ knock_.

Bella looked up from her old, worn copy of Pride and Prejudice to stare at the motel door. She thought maybe she'd imagined it, but then the knock sounded again – this time a bit softer. She made her way to the door, her mind running over the possibilities of her visitor. For some reason all she could think about was that movie Vacancy. She told Edward it was a bad idea for her to watch it. She was too paranoid to watch those kind of movies...

She peered into the peephole.

Alice stood outside the door, rubbing her arms. She wore a tight red tank top that showed just the top of her lacy, black bra. Her pajama shorts were loose fitting with a gray and black plaid pattern. Her spiky hair lay flat to her head; a dusting of black over her feminine face. Bella looked over at the small digital clock on her bedside table. It was two in the morning. Why wasn't Alice asleep in her room?

Bella opened the door, but Alice slipped in before she could ask her any questions. She plopped down on the bed, pulling her legs to her chest and encircling them with her arms. She left a portion of room next to her for Bella to sit.

Bella walked towards the bed, noting the fact that she wore baggy pajama pants and her old gym t-shirt. Alice didn't seem to mind her obvious fashion faux-pas, though. She just blinked up at Bella, wide awake.

"I can't sleep." she said before Bella even got the chance to open her mouth. "And I'm guessing you can't either."

Bella nodded her head, her ponytail bouncing softly. "I was reading. I always do that when I can't sleep." Alice leaned over to read the cover of the book. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "You're not a Jane Austen fan?"

Alice shook her head. "I'm more of a J.K. Rowling and J.R. Tolkien gal."

"You like fantasy?"

"Oh, yeah. It's a lot better than reality." She smiled peacefully at Bella before leaning against the headboard. She let her legs stretch out in front of her. "You a big Austen fan?"

"I have all of her books; although, all of my copies are falling apart. I read them way too much."

"I'll just have to buy you the collection then."

Bella face flamed as Alice winked playfully. She walked toward the bed, tripping over her own feet in the process. Alice leapt forward to steady her, her eyebrows raised. "Are you alright?" she asked. Bella nodded, her face growing even hotter. Why did she always have to embarrass herself at the most inappropriate times?

She sat on the bed, crossing her legs Indian style as Alice turned towards her. "Are you sure you're okay? You look flustered..."

"Yeah." Bella said quickly, swiping a stray hair out of her face. "I'm perfectly fine. Just a total klutz."

Alice nodded before closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Is this one question going to turn into another round of 20 Questions?"

"Do you want it to?"

"Honestly? Probably not."

"Then it's just one."

"Shoot."

Alice opened her eyes and leaned forward, her eyes glistening in the low lighting in the stuffy motel room. Bella had always thought short hair on women looked odd, but Alice looked absolutely stunning. She knew that long hair would only obscure the girl's petite features, and that would be a pity. "Have you ever found yourself attracted to someone you shouldn't be attracted to?"

Bella faltered, a small voice in her head whispering a certain name. She shut that voice in a small crevice in the deepest corner of her mind, and said, "Yes. Edward."

"Oh." Alice responded, looking slightly disappointed, which Bella didn't quite understand. But Alice didn't give her much time to further question her behavior. "Why shouldn't you be attracted to him?"

"He had a serious girlfriend for awhile – Kate. He broke up with her for me. I didn't feel bad about it at the time, but now..." She trailed off, not sure how to continue her train of thought.

"Now...?" Alice pushed, wanting to keep her talking. She'd told Bella something she'd only told a handful of people and felt entitled to know some of the brunette's secrets.

"Now I feel horrible. I sometimes wonder if I hadn't gotten in the way of their relationship, would they still be together? Would they get married eventually and have a family?"

"Don't think that." Alice says, shaking her head sadly. "He had his chance to be with her, and he chose you. It was his decision, his fault. It's most definitely _not_ you're fault that you're so irresistible." Bella chuckled softly.

"Have you?" She asked, picking at the comforter that lay haphazardly on the queen size mattress.

"Have I what?"

"Have you ever been attracted to someone you shouldn't be attracted to?"

Alice laughed darkly. "Oh, yes. Story of my life. I fell in love with a close friend of mine. She and I had this secret relationship going on like the kind you read about in books or see in movies. She said she wanted us to lay low for a bit because I was the only one who knew she was attracted to girls. I told her I loved her, she told me she loved me back. I was so happy. Then she came to my apartment one day, grabbed the few things of hers that were there, and left with some guy. She said she wasn't a lesbian, that she wasn't in love with me; she was just curious. She toyed around with me, and when she got bored, threw me out like last season's Burberry."

Bella stared at her sadly, reaching forward to grab her fragile hand like she'd done only a few hours prior. Alice's palm fit perfectly into Bella's, like they were two pieces of a puzzle finally coming together. Bella's thumb stroked the silky skin on the back of Alice's hand methodically. Alice's eyes fluttered closed.

"I'm sorry, Alice." Bella said, staring at the girl's face to try to figure out what she was feeling. She didn't look sad or depressed or angry. She just looked peaceful. She looked as if she could spend the next twenty years sitting like this and be content. "When was this?"

"About a year ago." She answered, her haunting eyes snapping open and focusing on Bella's face. They sat there for quite a few minutes – completely silent, just staring at each other. Both girls hated awkward silences, but there was nothing awkward about this. There was this sizzling energy floating between them, and they couldn't tear their eyes away from each other. Alice finally broke the silence with another question. "Do you love Edward?"

"You've already asked me this."

"And I don't think you answered me honestly."

"Yes."

Alice continued to stare at her, but there was something funny in her expression now. She didn't look angry, just desperate. She looked desperate for Bella to understand something, though Bella wasn't sure what that something was.

"You can sit here and truthfully say you're in love with him?"

Bella gulped, her mind buzzing. She did; she loved Edward. She had for so long now – long before the two even started dating – that to even question whether or not she did was absurd. She opened her mouth, fully intending to reassure Alice and tell her that yes, she was in love with Edward, but the words that fell from her mouth caught her off guard. "No. I can't."

That was the response Alice had been hoping for, but it wasn't the response she was prepared to get. Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline, and she gaped at the girl across from her for a few seconds before regaining her composure. "So, you don't love him?"

"No." Bella said, realizing that the words she'd spoken were true. "I do love him. I'm just not _in_ love with him. I love his personality, his humor, how happy he makes me. I love all of the inside jokes we have, all of our silly conversation, and his stupid little quirks. But when I think about it, he's just my best friend. I spent so many years crushing on him that when I finally got to have him I couldn't realize that there was no spark." Her brown eyes swam with tears.

"It could be worse." Alice said, squeezing the hand that still cupped hers. "He could've been your best friend one day, your lover the next, and then gone in the blink of the eye, like Tanya." Although she'd never used her ex's name in the conversation, Bella knew by the tone of her voice that Tanya was the girl she had spoken of.

"I know. It's just... I can't bring myself to break up with him. There's a part of me that feels like there is something there, like I'm just missing it. Like if I search hard enough – dig deep enough – I'll be able to find something. I don't know what to do."

"It's your call." Alice said, shrugging. She had to bite her tongue; she wanted so badly to tell Bella to call him up and dump his perverted ass. But then that would make her seem like a total bitch and the last thing she needed was to be on Bella's bad side. She needed to be there for her, even if their relationship would never bloom into anything. A new friend never hurt anyone.

Bella leaped forward and pulled Alice into a tight hug, just as Alice had done in the truck. She had been there for Alice, and now Alice was there to support her. The little pixie was really something else; she was someone Bella could see herself being lifelong friends with. Who knew picking up a pair of young hitchhikers could be so life changing?

She pulled away slowly, her arms still resting on Alice's shoulders. Their faces were mere inches apart. Alice's eyes were even more gorgeous close up. They reminded Bella of the Pacific Ocean, which she had spent days on end staring at with Edward. Her irises were a beautiful sapphire with sprinkles of the faintest aqua swirling within the darkness. Bella felt like she could dive into those ocean eyes and lose herself forever.

She watched those hypnotizing eyes probe into hers and then take in the contours of her face like they were trying to memorize them. Those eyes trailed from her ski-slope nose to her flaming cheeks and finally down to her rosy lips. They rested there for a few seconds before locking once again with Bella's brown orbs.

She watched Alice lean forward like she was watching a movie in slow motion. Her lips puckered just the tiniest bit as they met Bella's. Bella's eyes fluttered closed at the sudden touch, and she felt that jolt of electricity rush through her veins once again. Alice pressed more firmly against her mouth, hoping for Bella to do something – run, yell, push her away, wrap her arms around her, jump on top her, _anything_.

Alice's pink tongue ran along Bella's bottom lip, and Bella knew it was her way of asking for permission to full-on kiss her. She wanted to part her lips, to invite Alice into the warmness of her mouth. She wanted to lay there and kiss Alice until her lips fell off. But before she could open her lips even a centimeter, something clicked inside of her head.

She had a loving boyfriend in California who would do anything for her, including pay thousands of dollars a year for her to fly out to visit him. And how did she repay him? By sitting in a rundown motel, kissing someone who wasn't him, someone who was a _girl_.

Bella pulled away and hopped off the bed, bile rising in her throat and guilt clouding her vision. Alice stared at her curiously, trying to hide her hurt – the hurt that was floating in the ocean that was her eyes. Bella shook her head, acting as though a simple shake could make everything fall into place. It didn't work; her emotions were still twisted in a knot and the guilt was nearly choking her now. She could just barely mumble the words, "Get out."

Alice balked at her, her mouth sagging open. Bella bit back the tears as she repeated her words, though more slowly and clearly this time. "Get. Out."

Alice stumbled off of the bed, her posture no longer straight and confident. Her shoulders hunched and she looked like all of the energy that seemed to radiate from her had been drained. Her lips looked slightly more red than they had earlier, probably from the kissing. This made Bella feel even worse, and she felt a tear slide down her face. It was official; not only was she the world's worst girlfriend, but she was also a complete and total mess.

"Bella?" Alice asked, reaching forward to lay a hand on Bella's forearm. The girl slammed herself against the wall – putting the most space between herself and Alice that she possibly could. Alice stared at her, obviously unsure of what had just happened. She looked so vulnerable, standing there in hardly any clothes with her arm hanging limply in the air. Her pretty doe eyes made her look like a deer in headlights.

"Please. Just go. I-I can't look at you."

Alice nodded, seemingly lost in trance. She shuffled to the door, pulled it open, and stood in the doorway. She stayed like that for a few seconds before turning around. "See you tomorrow?" It wasn't a statement; it was a question. Bella realized she was worried that her impulsive mistake would cost her a ride to Washington. She thought she'd have to walk or hitch a ride from some psycho truck driver.

"See you tomorrow." Bella repeated, although her voice made it clear that she'd be here tomorrow, waiting for Alice and Jasper.

She expected Alice to perk up at that, to look relieved, but she still had that same sad expression plastered on her face. She nodded and Bella could have sworn she heard her whisper, "Jasper was right." before the door closed with a resounding click. Bella stood there, still pressed against the wall, a few more tears leaking from her eyes.

She made her way to her bed and plopped down unceremoniously. She balled the blanket in her fists and allowed the tears to drown her. She lay like that until the rising sun peered through the cracks of her curtains and the birds started chirping outside of her door. All night she repeated the same thing to herself. _Why does life have to be so difficult?_

**

* * *

**

A/N:

This chapter turned out a lot differently than I had planned. The whole Jasper POV part wasn't supposed to exist; while I was on the plane ride home we experienced some turbulance. I was freaking out - I'm not good with flying - and decided to write to keep myself calm. Thus, the Jasper POV bit was born! And that kiss wasn't supposed to happen, Bella freaking out wasn't supposed to happen, Alice being crushed wasn't supposed to happen. It was going to be a happy chapter, but my cat's death has really left me heartbroken and depressed and that's the tone that was reflected in this chapter. Just be happy I didn't have Bella jump in front of a bus and Alice lock herself in her motel room for the rest of her life. Now go review!

**Songs:** "Static Waves" - Andrew Belle; "New Romantic" - Laura Marling


	6. Nothing Happened

**Author's Note:** I don't particularly like this chapter. There, I said it. It's not like it's horrible or anything; if it was, I would do a rewrite instead of posting it, But it's definitely filler. Important filler because it helps you better understand Bella's conflict, but filler nonetheless. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the angst because I'm planning to up the mood quite a bit in the coming chapters. Alice and Bella deserve to be happy and have things be how they were before the kiss. In other news, thank you for all of the reviews, alerts, and favorites. And the kind words about the passing of my furry little friend. I have the greatest readers ever. I got about 16 reviews for the last chapter, and I hope you guys can give this chapter just as much attention, if not more.

And a little side note: I love you all. I think you're all awesome. I've been thinking about creating an original character since the start of this story, and I've recently decided that I'm going to do it. I won't give you any details about the character because I'd rather you read and find out. I'll tell you this though - it's a girl. And the 100th reviewer will get to name her. Soooo, review! If you're the 100th reviewer, I'll notify you through a PM. I have to say, though, that I'd like you to not pick a name of a character in the books 'cause that's just confusing, even if it's the name of a really, really, really minor character. That is all.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Twilight Saga or Round The Clock or Ely, Nevada; I'm just borrowing them.

* * *

**Nothing Happened**

Bella sat stiffly on the bed, lost in her thoughts. The comforter was slightly scratchy beneath her bare thighs, and the bland sheets that screamed "motel" were half hanging off of the bed. She wore a button-up plaid shirt – the kind that Edward affectionately called her lumber jack shirts – and a pair of light blue jean shorts. Her hair was thrown into a messy ponytail, and she hadn't even bothered with make-up. All she could seem to think about was the events of last night.

Alice coming to her room. Alice telling her about Tanya. Bella telling her she didn't really love Edward. Hugging Alice. Kissing Alice. Bella could have thrown up at the memory.

It wasn't that she didn't care for Alice; with each minute that passed she began to realize that she had feelings for the girl. It was the fact that it wasn't right. Renee, her mother, had raised to believe that her life should go as follows: go to college, have a successful career, marry a handsome man, and have a handful of healthy, beautiful children. She had an amazing boyfriend who loved her to no end. And the fact that she was even contemplating throwing all of that away from a girl made her want to burst into tears.

She could only imagine what Renee would say if she told her she had feelings for Alice. It wasn't that her mother was a homophobic; her mother was incredibly accepting. But she couldn't deal with how disappointed her mother would be – she always talked about how much she loved Edward and how she couldn't wait for grandkids.. Something like that would kill both of them. She just couldn't do it.

Bella knew, though, that even if nothing more happened between herself and Alice, she needed to break things off with Edward. She couldn't string him along any longer. Like Alice had told her, if she didn't love him after two years, then she never would.

She turned her phone over and over in her sweaty palms, her heart constricting at the thought of breaking up with him. Part of her wished she could do this in person – it was more honorable. But he was thousands of miles away, and she knew that if she looked into his emerald green eyes and took in his lopsided grin that she'd forget all about ending their relationship.

Bella plucked up the small amount of courage that she had, scrolled through her contacts for Edward's name, and hit send. She waited as the phone rang, holding her breath until she thought she was blue in the face. Finally, right as she thought his voice mail was going to pick up, he answered.

"Hey, beautiful." he said, his voice clear and melodic. She could hear him smiling on the other line.

"Hi, Edward." she choked out in a small voice.

"How are you? Has the drive been okay so far?" He sounded concerned._ Of course_, _you idiot_, she thought to herself. _You sound upset _– _like someone died. _

She cleared her throat and took a deep, calming breath. "I-It's all fine. I'm in Nevada right now."

"Good." He said, and she could tell the smile was back. She closed her eyes and could see his angular jaw, aristocratic nose, untidy bronze hair. Her memory didn't do him justice. _Stop imagining him_, she scolded. _You'll discourage yourself_.

"Edward. I... I wanted to talk to you about something." There it was – that acidic taste in the back of her throat. Her heart picked up it's pace, and her palms got even sweatier.

"Alright..." he sounded weary, almost like he knew what she was going to say, like he knew she was going to end things. End an incredible two year relationship. End it because of someone she couldn't bring herself to even _think_ about being with. "Are you sure everything is fine? You're not hurt or anything, are you?" She was silent. "Bella? I knew this was a bad idea. I should have gone with you..."

"No." She said quickly, wanting to stop his worrying. "I'm okay, in a sense. I mean, physically, everything is good. The drive has been..." An image of Alice and Jasper, beaming at her, popped into her mind. "great. I just have something to tell you, and it's really, really important. So, please don't interrupt. Okay?"

"Okay." He sounded weary again, but she knew he would listen to her. She thought of him again in that instant. She thought of all the times she'd been angry or sad, and he'd sat there and cradled her. He'd listen to her without interrupting. He'd comfort her. He was always there for her. And then it hit her.

She was doing the wrong thing.

"I kissed someone." she blurted. She couldn't bring herself to do what she'd originally intended and was hoping to come up with something better during those three seconds of silence she had after his response. Somehow she thought that telling him she'd kissed another person was worse than breaking up with him.

"Y-you kissed someone?" She could hear the hurt in his voice and wanted to fling herself off a cliff.

"Yes. It was stupid, Edward. It was really stupid, and I'm sorry." She waited with bated breath, hoping he'd forgive her. She held in a bitter laugh. It was funny how five minutes ago she was so sure that their relationship needed to be ended; now she felt like it was the most precious thing she had.

He let out a long breath, chuckled sadly, then finally said, "I forgive you."

She thought she'd heard incorrectly. "What?"

He chuckled again. "I forgive you. You seem upset enough about it. You don't need to dwell. It hurts me that you kissed another guy, but I'll get over it because I love you." She wondered if he'd forgive her if she told him it was a girl that she'd kissed.

"L-love you too, Edward." Lie.

"I have to go, Bella. I promised Carlisle I'd go to breakfast with him. He says we need some father-son bonding. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay."

"And, Bella?"

"Yeah."

"Don't beat yourself up about what happened. It was just a kiss."

"Just a kiss." she repeated. She didn't have the heart to tell him that wasn't true.

"Talk to you later." And with that, he hung up.

Bella lowered the phone from her ear in a daze. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying.

She was an idiot. A dumb, pathetic, clingy idiot. The silence of the room cleared the hypnosis Edward seemed to cause. She should have just done it. She should have grown a pair and told him, "Edward, it's through. I love you, but not in the way you love me." But she couldn't. She was weak.

She stood on wobbly legs and grabbed the bag from the foot of her bed. A knock sounded on the door just as she straightened up. She walked to the door and pulled it open. Alice stood there, looking happy and well-rested, as if Bella hadn't rejected her just five hours ago.

"Morning!" She greeted Bella, a lazy smile on her face. She looked wide awake, just like she had when she had come to Bella's room a few hours earlier. Her hair, however, was now spiked – the way it had been during the day. She looked so relaxed, and Bella could only wish that she could be like Alice. The kiss kept replaying in her mind, and she knew that she'd be tense the whole ride today.

Jasper came up behind Alice and waved casually at Bella. "We," he pointed to Alice. "thought that we could all go to breakfast this morning."

"It's difficult for me to function on less than five meals a day." Alice said, the smile still lighting up her face, although she looked completely serious. "I mean," she elaborated. "I can function on two, but I prefer five."

"She's a pig." Jasper mumbled, rolling his eyes at his younger sister. Alice ignored him. "So you up for it, Bella?"

Bella mulled it over for a few seconds, wondering how awkward it would be talking to Alice. She decided it would be better for everyone if she acted like nothing happened, and, with a forced smile, replied, "Of course."

XxXxXxXxXx

Bella pulled up to Round The Clock and found herself a parking spot. The parking lot was nearly empty, and she figured the wait for a table would be nonexistent. She opened her car door and jumped out – slamming the door closed – and almost hit Alice in the face with it. The pixie squealed and kicked at the door, her eyes wider than usual as she watched it swing back open.

"Kill me, why don't you." She grumbled, toppling out of the truck. Bella apologized, wondering if Alice was teasing or serious. The look on her face sure didn't look teasing. Bella couldn't blame the girl for her sudden sour mood.

Alice led the way into the restaurant and told the hostess they'd need a booth for three. The trio followed the hostess to the back of the restaurant where she set three menus on a shiny table top. Alice slid into the booth, looking expectantly at Bella. She blinked as Bella looked between the seat next to Alice and the empty booth across from her. She chose the empty booth.

Alice's face fell.

Jasper sat beside Alice, wasting no time in grabbing a menu and flipping through the plastic pages. Alice followed suit, hoping the menu would hide her disappointment. Jasper gave her a questioning look, but she ignored it. Jasper probably already knew what was happening.

Bella reached forward, pretending to search through the menu. Round The Clock was her and her mother's favorite breakfast restaurant. She knew the menu like the back of her hand, but she didn't want to just sit there and twiddle her thumbs. The waitress came a few seconds later, beaming at them, and asked for their drink orders. Jasper and Bella ordered waters. Alice ordered a Coke with a lemon.

"Coke? At 7am?" Bella asked, raising her eyebrow. She was trying to be normal. She was trying to act like nothing had happened. _Nothing happened_, _nothing happened_, _nothing happened_, she repeated to herself.

Alice giggled and shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a caffeine fiend."

The waitress brought out their drinks, and they each went back to their menus. Bella noticed that every minute or so Jasper would take his eyes off of his menu to look from Alice to Bella. He obviously suspected something was up, but Bella wasn't about to tell him anything. If he wanted to know that badly, he could ask Alice. It was her business to tell him – he was _her_ brother, after all.

The waitress came over and they ordered their food – Alice ordered a stack of pancakes with a side of bacon and scrambled eggs, Jasper and Bella each ordered the breakfast special. As soon as the waitress left, Alice's phone, which she had set on the table, buzzed. She pressed send and held it up to her ear, her eyebrows knitting.

"Alice?" Rosalie asked, sounding nervous. Alice could hear people talking in the background.

"Hey, Rose." she said. Jasper gave her a curious look; Rosalie was never up this early. "What's up?"

"Isn't Esme supposed to pick me up at the airport?"

"Um, yeah. But that's not for 12 hours."

Rosalie coughed. "Well, you see... I thought our tickets were for 4:45pm, but Emmett noticed last night that they were for 4:45_am_. And so here Emmett and I are, sitting in the airport... just us. With no way home."

Alice let out an exasperated breath. "Rosalie! How could you mess that up?" she paused for a moment, absorbing what Rosalie had said. "Wait. Emmett's with you?"

Silence.

"Rosalie?"

"Well, I know it was supposed to be just us kids. But, well, I don't know. I really wanted to bring Em. You understand right, Ali?"

"Um, no, Rose. I don't understand. I'm not seeing anyone right now." She looked up quickly, her eyes locking on Bella's. They both looked away.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. Well, I wanted to bring him, and Esme just adores him, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Anyway, I have no way to get home." she huffed. "So now Em and I need to go beg someone to let us tag along or find a cab. Hopefully it's the latter because I can't handle hitching a ride with one of these people. Alice, you would die if you saw the kind of people that populated the airport this early in the morning. Half of them are wearing faded sweats." Alice cringed.

"I have to go, Rose. Let me know how everything goes okay?"

"Alright, Alice. Love you! See you soon."

"Love you, too." Alice ended the call and set her cell phone back on the table. Jasper was still staring at her, so she gave him a quick recap of what Rosalie had told her. He snorted.

"Sounds like something Rosalie would do." Alice nodded in agreement.

They talked casually for the next couple of minutes before there food was brought to them. Once they had their food, all thoughts of conversation were thrown out the window. They scarfed it down, not uttering a word the entire time. Bella finished first – but only because she didn't eat all of her meal – and sat in silence while the other two finished.

Jasper and Alice finished at the same time, both pushing their clean, shiny plates away from them. Alice rubbed her slightly bulging stomach. "I always look pregnant after I eat." She complained, frowning at the tiny bump. "Gross."

"Maybe you shouldn't eat for eat for three people." Jasper said, smirking. She shot him a venomous glare and went back to frowning at her stomach.

The waitress brought the bill, and Bella picked it up. Alice reached forward and yanked it out of her hands before she could look at the price of her food. "Hey!" she protested, but Alice waved her hand at her, signaling for her to hush up.

"Like I told you in the gas station – you're giving us a ride to Seattle. You're saving us a ton of money. The least we can do is pay for your five buck meal."

Bella looked like she was going to protest more, but the look of finality on Alice's face changed her mind. Arguing with Alice was pointless. Once she set her mind to something, she was never going to back down. When she saw Bella resign, her face lit up. She laid out a tip, then prodded Jasper with her elbow. "Move it, Blondie. I need to go pay."

He rolled his eyes at the nickname but listened to her. He sat down as soon as she left. Bella prayed he wouldn't mention anything. They sat there for a few seconds, and Bella kept waiting for it. "So, why are you two acting strange?" Or, "Did something happen between you and Alice?" But it never came. He just gave her what she thought was a knowing look, then stared at his hand, which was tapping an unrecognizable beat on the tabletop.

She let out a sigh of relief as Alice skipped back to them, the bloated stomach she had complained about only a figment of her imagination. Bella thought she looked just as thin as she had when they walked into the restaurant. "Let's get going on.."

Jasper shot out of the booth and to the door, not giving them a chance to keep up with him. Neither girls realized it, but he was giving them space to talk. Not that they need it, though. The less alone time with Alice, the better, in Bella's opinion. At least until she figured out her feelings.

Alice made her way to the door, but Bella called after her. "Hey, hang on." Alice stopped in her tracks and waited for Bella to reach her before she resumed walking.

"What happened last night," Alice started, uncharacteristically serious. She stared straight ahead, not wanting to look at the radiant brunette that walked beside her. "didn't happen."

"What are you talking about?" Bella said jokingly, but Alice turned to her with a strange look.

Alice's heart panged as she looked at Bella. Was her kiss really that forgettable? "The kiss." she informed her, blinking rapidly.

"I know. I was kidding. You know, how someone says 'That accident didn't happen.' And then the other person jokes, 'What accident?'" Bella told her weakly. It was a cheesy joke to begin with, but explaining it made it sound even dumber. She mentally slapped herself.

"Oh." Alice said, catching on. She chuckled feebly. "Gotcha."

They walked back to the truck in silence, keeping a good distance from one another. Bella got to the truck first, noting that Jasper was already in it. He gave her a tiny smile. She opened the driver's side door and motioned for Alice to get in. Alice gave her an appreciative grin and climbed in, scooting close to Jasper to give Bella room. Bella started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, heading for the highway.

Alice stayed close to Jasper, and Bella realized she wasn't just trying to give her room to drive. She didn't want to be close to Bella. Bella had hurt her so badly that she couldn't stand her. Bella's stomach dropped at the thought. She mentally slapped herself again. _You have a boyfriend_,_ Bella_. _Stop worrying about Alice and how she feels about you_.

She kept her eyes on the road but felt odd –_ lonely _– without Alice's warm body pressed against her side. She chanced a glance at Alice, who was staring intently out the passenger's side window. _This is going to be a long ride_.

* * *

**A/N: **Show of hands: How many of you hated me after Bella hung up with Edward? God, you guys don't know how badly I wanted her to tell Edward that they were through. But Edward has been Bella's first, well, _everything _- first boyfriend, first kiss, first sexual partner, for lack of a better word. Being with him is a form of security for her, and it won't be so easy for her to break up with him. Think of yourself when you were a child - didn't you have a teddy bear or blanket (or binky, if you were a loser like me and used one till you were 3) that you couldn't be without? Imagine one day throwing out that teddy bear/blanket/binky that brought you so much comfort throughout the years. It's hard; it's what Bella's going through. But she's made some serious progress. She knows she has feelings for Alice and no feelings for Edward! So hopefully that'll soften the blow. Anyway, review and let me know what you thought about the chapter. And I can promise you that the next one will be much better.

**Songs:** "Speechless" - Melissa O'Neil; "Black Balloon" - The Kills


	7. Moving On

**Author's Note:** Wow. 113 reviews? That's incredible. Words can't describe how much I appreciate you all. I've been gradually getting reviews that are lengthier and lengthier, and I love it! I love hearing specific parts you liked or quotes you liked or even reasons why you didn't like something in the chapter. It makes for some great criticism and helps strengthen me as a writer. I try to reply to everyone who leaves a review, so if you get a message from me don't feel shy about replying! I love talking with you all about the story. But don't go asking for any spoilers; I may give you a tiny hint about something, but it's always broad. I hate spoilers. In other news, this chapter is almost 3,500 words long, which makes it the longest chapter to date. And even though this has nothing to do with this story or the Twilight-verse, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM! He turns 30 today, so hooray! And yes, I'm aware he's fictional. And no, I don't care. Now, onto the story.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Mountain Home, Idaho, Holiday Inn and Suites, or any of the characters. I do, however, own this storyline and Celia's diner.

* * *

**Moving On**

They had had a relatively quiet drive that day. The only conversations they had were short and forced, and they ended before they ever truly began. Alice would bring up something, Jasper and Bella would mumble something in response, Alice would talk for a few minutes, – though mostly to herself – and then they'd slip back into awkward silence. After a few failed attempts to converse, Alice gave up.

They had long passed the Nevada border and were well on their way through Idaho when Alice let out a heavy sigh. "I'm hungry."

Bella kept her eyes on the road but responded. "We ate a little while ago."

"Six hours is not 'a little while ago'. I'm starving here." She pouted and hung her shoulders as though she couldn't muster up the energy to sit up straight.

"Fine. Look out for any food places."

Bella got off of US-93 N and drove into Mountain Home, Idaho, a town that she had never been in. She wasn't sure what they had to offer, but she was wiling to look. Now that Alice mentioned food, her stomach was beginning to growl. A quick meal wouldn't deter them too much. She just hoped having to sit together wouldn't make things any more awkward.

"There!" Alice hollered, pointing to a humble diner on the corner of the street. Bella quickly maneuvered across the road and parked in the parking lot behind the diner. She unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out of the truck, leaving the door open for Alice. But as she peeked in the door she noticed the girl was busy whispering to Jasper, who looked sick to his stomach.

"If you don't feel any better after eating, let me know. We'll stay at a motel for a day or two – however long it takes for you to recover. If Bella leaves without us, so be it. I'm sure Rose and Emmett will come get us." She said in a soothing voice, rubbing his arm in a motherly way.

Bella turned away, waiting for Alice to finish speaking. She didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation, though she felt she should say something. Alice and Jasper exited the cab a few seconds later. Jasper looked pale and worn-out, and Alice looked concerned, all traces of her usually bubbly self gone.

"I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but I heard Alice say you were sick." Bella said, addressing Jasper although both siblings turned to stare at her. "I won't leave you guys behind if you want to stick around for a day or two to recuperate."

Jasper smiled weakly, but it looked more like a grimace. "Thanks, Bella."

She smiled and nodded and led the pair into the diner. A pretty Hispanic girl with silky black hair greeted them with a smile. Her name tag said Maria. "Welcome to Celia's Diner. How many?"

"Three." Bella said, watching the girl dig out three plastic menus. She followed her to a booth and slid into one of the seats. Alice helped Jasper into the opposite booth but moved herself to sit next to Bella. Bella gave her a blank look. "Don't you want to sit by Jasper?" she asked curiously. The pixie had seemed so concerned about his health a minute ago…

"Yes," Alice answered. "But I'm wearing a new pair of shorts, and he would have had his feet on my lap. That last thing I need is to spend an hour scrubbing dirt out of the denim." Alice motioned to Jasper, who was sitting sideways in the booth, taking up two spots – his back was propped up against the wall and his feet nearly dangled off the edge of the seat. Alice frowned. "I hope you're okay, Jazz."

"I just need food." He reassured her. It looked, though, like food was the last thing he needed.

Alice shrugged at his response and flipped through the menu, scanning each line with her index finger. Bella watched her instead of looking at her menu, studying the lines in her face. A knowing smile curled at the edges of Alice's lips as she spotted Bella from the corner of her eye. Bella's face turned red. "Don't be embarrassed." Alice told her, as if it was so big deal that Bella had been staring at her like a creep. Jasper opened one eye and gave them a wondering look that Alice promptly ignored.

"Hello." Their waitress said, and Bella looked up at the beaming redhead, stunned. She was tall – about 5'9" – with curly red hair that fell down her back in wild tendrils. Her eyes were a deep amber, and a seductive smile was plastered on her pale, freckled face. She was beautiful. "My name's Victoria, and I'll be your server on this lovely afternoon. Can I get you anything?" She looked pointedly at Alice, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Bella coughed loudly into her fist, catching on to Victoria's meaning, but Alice didn't seem phased. She just grinned at the girl and asked for a Coke with a lemon. The girl nodded before flashing Alice a heart-stopping smile. She turned to Bella, a much more tame smile now illuminating her face. "And you?"

"Water."

Victoria turned to Jasper, but Alice answered for him. "He'll have a water." She beamed at the redhead, who winked in return. Alice's smile widened, if that were even possible. Bella thought the girl's cheeks were going to split from the sheer force of her grin. Alice noticed Bella glaring at her and the grin disappeared. "What?" She asked, worried. Bella shook her head.

Victoria returned with three full glasses balanced on a thin, plastic tray. She handed Jasper and Bella their drinks, then set Alice's down with an unnecessary – at least in Bella's opinion – flourish. Alice seemed to enjoy it, though. She watched appreciatively as the slinky redhead overly swayed her hips as she sauntered towards the kitchen. _This is a diner, not a runway_, Bella thought, burning a hole in the girl's back.

Alice giggled suddenly, covering her mouth with her hand. Bella turned towards her, an angry expression still on her face. Alice got one look at her and started giggling again. "Someone's been visited by the green-eyed monster."

"No, I haven't." Bella said in a defensive tone. It was a lie, of course. But she wasn't about to give Alice the satisfaction of knowing she was jealous. Besides, she _shouldn't_ be jealous. She had a boyfriend – she had Edward. Somehow, that tidbit of information wasn't important to her right now.

Alice gave her a look that said 'You can't deny it, Bella,' but she ignored it. She knew her jealously was obvious; she didn't need Alice going on about it. She felt stupid – there was no reason for her to be jealous. It wasn't like she and Alice were together, although she did like the sound of that…

Victoria's arrival cleared her thoughts– yet another reason to dislike the girl. She took out a pad of paper and a black pen and asked, "Are you all ready to order?" Bella grumbled a yes. Alice giggled again.

Alice ordered an exceptionally large order for someone her size, though Bella was no longer surprised by that fact. Victoria quickly scribbled Alice's order on the notepad then tapped the pen cap against her pink lips. "Anything else?"

Alice pursed her lips, pretending to think. Then, with a sly smile, she replied, "Maybe later." Victoria beamed.

Bella cleared her throat loudly, and Victoria tore her eyes away from Alice. "I'll have a plain hamburger. And fries, too." She was usually very polite when it came to waiters and waitresses, but she had no patient with this one. Victoria nodded then turned to Jasper.

"I'll have fries. That's all." He said, still looking miserable. Alice gave him a sympathetic smile. He didn't return it.

"Alright! Your food should be out shortly." Victoria closed the notepad and stuck the pen behind her ear, grinning once more before making her way to the kitchens to place their orders.

They sat in silence – Jasper moaning in pain every couple of minutes, Alice picking at her nail polish, and Bella staring at her folded hands, which were resting on the tabletop. Victoria finally brought them their food, which Alice dug into immediately She was halfway done in a matter of minutes.

Jasper stared at his fries with an off expression, looking as though they revolted him. He ate a couple, but after a minute or two he clamped his hand over his mouth and rushed to the bathroom. "Jazz!" Alice called, standing up. He was already in the bathroom, though, and she wasn't about to follow him into the men's room. "Poor Jasper. He's rarely sick." Alice said to no one in particular.

"Lucky him." Bella said, dipping a fry in ketchup and popping it into her mouth. "I'm always sick."

"Me too." Alice said, taking a bite of her massive bacon cheeseburger. Bella gave the burger a disgusted look.

"How can you eat that?" She questioned, her nose crinkling.

Alice frowned. "The better question is, how can you _not_? Bacon cheeseburgers are delicious." She took another bite. Bella wrinkled her nose again.

"I prefer just ketchup on mine." She looked down at her burger that looked to be half the size of Alice's. "I hate cheese."

Alice coughed on her bite of burger, pounding on her chest to stop herself from choking. Bella gave her a wide-eyed look, but Alice waved her off. "You hate cheese?" Bella nodded. "That's – that's – that's un-American! How can someone hate cheese? What's next – you gonna tell me you hate hotdogs too?"

Bella shook her head. "Of course not. I've never even had a hotdog."

Alice's jaw dropped. "Never had a hotdog? You were deprived of a proper childhood."

Bella chuckled at Alice's expression. "No. I just never wanted to try one." She shrugged as if it were no big deal. Alice still looked perplexed.

"I can't believe you live in America and haven't ever –" Alice stopped short as Victoria set down a fresh Coke for her. Alice smiled up at the girl. "Thanks." She said, and the girl winked again. Alice's cheeks turned a slight pink; Bella scowled.

"Sorry." Alice said, clearing her throat and turning back to Bella.

"It's fine, I guess."

Alice raised an eyebrow, but Jasper decided to return then, saving Bella from any awkward questions. She mentally noted that she'd need to thank him for that. He sat down across from the girls, clutching his stomach. His light eyes were squeezed shut.

"You don't look so good, Jazz." Alice commented, reaching forward to feel his forehead.

"I don't feel so good, either." He said, letting out a long sigh. Alice pulled back and looked to Victoria, who was standing by the register. Alice stood, taking her purse with her.

"I'll go pay. You guys wait here." She said, weaving her way through the tables to get to the register. Victoria looked up as she approached, a smile illuminating her freckly face. "Do you think I could pay now?"

"Sure." Victoria said, handing her their receipt. She watched as Alice scanned the receipt – checking for any errors – and pulled out a wad of money. She handed Victoria two twenties and waited patiently for her change. "You new in town?" Victoria asked, glancing up for a second before reaching into the register for Alice's change.

"No. Just passing through."

Victoria nodded thoughtfully. "How long are you going to be in Mountain Home for?"

Alice shrugged. "Probably the rest of the day and tonight. Why?"

Victoria's smile grew. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight… with me."

Alice raised an eyebrow playfully. "Someone's awfully forward."

Victoria shrugged nonchalantly. "Always have been. So what do you say?"

Alice thought for a minute, pursing her lips. Then, "Alright." Victoria grinned widely. "What time?"

"How about seven?"

"Sounds good. And what will we do?"

Victoria smirked. "Oh, I'm sure we'll find something."

Alice giggled as Victoria handed her the receipt and her change. "Do you have a pen?" she asked, and Victoria reached for a nondescript black one that was tucked behind her ear. "Thanks." Alice said, grabbing the receipt and scribbling her name and number on the back. She handed the receipt, along with the pen, to Victoria. "Text me."

"Will do. See you tonight…" she looked down at the receipt. "Alice."

Alice grinned and skipped back to the table; she didn't seem to notice the daggers Bella was throwing at Victoria with her eyes. "Ready to go?" she asked her brother and Bella, and the two both mumbled yes.

Alice pulled her bag farther up her shoulder and led the way to the exit. She flashed Victoria a winning smile as she passed the register and pushed open the door, holding it for Bella and Jasper. _Tonight should be fun_, she thought to herself; although, she couldn't help but wish that she was spending her night with someone else.

XxXxXxXxXx

Alice spent the rest of the day tending to Jasper and making small talk with Bella. It was taking time to rebuild the new friendship they had discovered; Alice was regretting the kiss more and more with each passing minute. She knew that if she couldn't have Bella in the way she wanted then she'd have to settle with having Bella as a friend. She was okay with that as long as it meant she could see the girl.

"I'll be back in a bit, Jazz." Alice told him, running her hand over his stubbly scalp. "I have to go get ready for a night out." He nodded gently, and she pushed herself off the bed. She walked quickly to her room – they'd chosen Hampton Inn and Suites. It was 5:45; she had an hour and fifteen minutes to shower and get ready. _That should be enough time_, she thought to herself.

She took a quick shower – 8 minutes, a new record – and wrapped a fluffy white towel around her slight frame. She wiped the condensation off the mirror and used a small, white hand towel to ruffle her short black hair, getting rid of the excess water.

Alice dried herself off and took out the small amount of clothes she'd brought with her. She grabbed a red blouse with a faint plaid pattern on it. She pulled it over her head and did up the buttons then continued on her search for something to wear – she needed bottoms. She pulled out a pair of black short-shorts and deemed them acceptable. She slipped them on over a pair of red and white polka-dot boy-shorts. She topped off the look with a pair of black, mesh pumps.

Alice stared at her reflection, making sure her outfit was absolutely pristine. She turned to the clock – 6:20. She certainly had enough time to finish getting ready and spend a little while with Jasper.

She rushed to the bathroom, grabbing mousse from her purse and squirting a generous amount into her palm. She rubbed her hands together and ran them through her hair, making it stand up at all angles. She smiled appreciatively at her reflection before moving onto makeup. She had just finished her mascara when a knock sounded on her door. "Be there in a sec!" She shouted, twisting the tube closed and hobbling to the door. Running wasn't a good idea in 5" pumps.

Alice pulled open the door and stared into a pair of large, brown eyes. Bella. Alice was eye to eye with her due to her heels. "Hey." She chirped, moving aside so Bella could enter the room. Bella walked in, taking in the clothes that were scattered all along the bed. "Sorry." Alice said, shutting the door. "I get a little crazy when it comes to picking out an outfit."

"Where're you going?" Bella asked, although she already knew. It was pretty obvious. She'd seen the googly eyes Victoria had been making at Alice as the pair talked by the register. She'd seen Alice write something down and hand it to Victoria with a flirtatious smile. She'd felt her jealousy boil over as she watched the two interact.

"Our waitress from the diner, Victoria, asked me out. I said yes." She said it as if it were no big deal, which only further angered Bella. The day before, Alice had been all about Bella; flirting with her, giggling at the things she said, _kissing her_. Now suddenly she was going on a date with some random waitress. Bella didn't take kindly to being replaced so suddenly.

"Oh. She seemed a little too flirty. I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't the first costumer she'd asked out."

"Is that you talking or your jealousy?"

"My jealousy."

Alice giggled, the sound filling the quiet room. It was sweet and loud, making Bella smile just the tiniest bit. "I appreciate your honesty." She said, plopping down on the clothes covered bed. Bella remained standing. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"The kiss." Bella said, her face heating up at the memory.

"I thought we agreed it didn't happen…"

"We did." Bella said, moving a black ruffled skirt out of her way so she could sit beside Alice. Alice waited for her to continue. "You have feelings for me."

Alice nodded. "Obviously."

"And I have feelings for you."

"Do you?" Alice asked doubtfully. "Because it sure it didn't seem like it."

Bella sighed. "I do, Alice, but I have Edward."

"Oh, yeah. Edward. Your boyfriend that you don't even love." Alice was glowering at her, her thin arms crossed against her chest.

"Why are you getting so upset?" Bella asked, shrinking back as the girl continued glowering at her.

"Is that even a question? I'm so upset because I made a move and you turned me away. Okay, whatever, your choice. I'm getting over it. I learned that I should just be your friend. Then you come here and tell me you have feelings for me, giving me just the teeniest flicker of hope. And in the same breath you tell me, 'It doesn't matter though because I have a boyfriend.' It's like torture, Bella."

Bella frowned. "I had to tell you. I had to get it off my chest."

Alice shook her head. "I'm sorry it's bothering you, Bella, but all you're doing now is putting that pain on _my_ shoulders. I don't need it. I have enough going wrong in my life."

Bella took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She stared at the cheap carpeting, too guilty to look at Alice. "I thought you should know, Alice. I thought you'd _want_ to know."

"I'd want to know if you wanted to be with me. I don't want to know that you care but not enough to do anything about it."

Bella chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm just so confused. I've never been in a situation like this."

"What, you've never had two people like you at the same time?"

"I have, but this time one of them is a girl."

"That doesn't make a difference, Bella. What matters is who you want to be with. Screw society and their views on homosexuality. Screw Edward and his relationship with you. Screw _me_ for trying to sway your decision. Just do what you want to do and forget everyone else."

Bella finally looked at the tiny girl as her words sunk in. She was right. It didn't matter what anyone else wanted for Bella; it mattered what Bella wanted for herself. She sat still, not sure how to respond.

"Bella, I know you don't love Edward. _You_ know you don't Edward. But you want to stay with him, and I understand. I'm not going to try to break up your relationship. I'll stay by your side as a friend, nothing more. And I'll move on, like I'm doing now. Just say the word, and I'll move on."

Bella stayed quiet.

"I can't wait around forever for someone who doesn't want to be with me, Bella. I need to live my life. So when you find the courage to make a decision, please let me know."

Alice's phone buzzed loudly against the wood of the desk it was resting on. Alice stood up and checked the name on the screen. _Victoria_. The room's digital clock read 6:59. The redhead was right on time. "I have to go. Victoria's here. See you later, Bella."

She exited the room, leaving Bella with nothing but her thoughts.

* * *

**A/N:** How'd you like it? I really enjoyed this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write about Alice and Victoria's flirting and Bella's jealousy. And Alice deserves to have a bit of fun, don't you think? Also, much like the past two chapters, the characters became independent and did what they wanted. The conversation between Alice and Bella wasn't supposed to go quite like that. Alice wasn't supposed to get so upset with Bella, either, but I feel it made sense. She's frustrated, and she has every right to be. The next chapter will probably be the day after all of this, and Jasper is still sick so they'll be sticking around Idaho. Now, go review because it keeps me going.

**Songs:** "Sami" by Darren Criss (I feel like if you replaced Sami with Bella then it'd be almost exactly how Alice was feeling earlier. And if you're a fan of A Very Potter Musical, you'll recognize both the artist and the song.); "River" by Lights.


	8. Decisions

**Author's Note:** So my goal for this chapter was to make it longer than the previous one. Yeah, that definitely didn't happen. I'm about 1,500 words shy of it surpassing Chapter 7, but I'm okay with that. I feel this chapter would have been dragged on if I would have made it any longer. This is not my favorite chapter; I'll go ahead and say it. It was kinda tough for me to finish writing it, to be completely honest. I'm sure you'll all like it because it's a nice break from all of the Bellice angst in the previous chapters. So, yeah. I hope you enjoy it. And if you _do_ hate it, then please let me know because I love constructive criticism. Here it is:  
**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, blah blah blah. You get it.

* * *

**Decisions**

Bella paced back and forth in Alice's room, her cell phone sitting amidst the clothes on Alice's bed. She ran her hands through her hair, ripping harshly through the knots. Her stomach kept doing cartwheels, and her mind was racing. A cold sweat broke out along her hairline. She'd made her decision, but it didn't make the whole ordeal any easier. No matter what she chose, someone was going to get hurt.

She snatched the phone off the bed and dialed the number. She waited as it rang and rang, her heart picking up pace with each _brrrring_. _Please don't pick up_, _please don't pick up, _she willed the person.

"Bella!" the pleasantly surprised voice answered. _Why did you have to pick up_?

"Edward." Bella said, swallowing the massive lump in her throat. She'd already tried breaking up with him once and it didn't work out. She prayed that she'd have the courage to do it this time.

"What's up? You at a hotel right now?" he asked, giving her his undivided attention. It was one of the many things she loved about him. He was a fantastic listener. She hoped he'd let her say what she needed to say without interrupting.

"Yeah, I am right now. But can I tell you something? And can you promise not to get angry with me?"

Silence. "Did you kiss another guy?"

"No."

"Okay. Then what do you need to tell me?"

Bella took a deep breath, trying to calm her jittery nerves. It didn't help. "Edward, I love you. You know that. But I've really given it some thought, and I don't love you like you love me. I love you like a best friend or a brother. And I've been lying to myself for a long time, telling myself it's something more than it is. I can't lead you on anymore. You deserve someone better."

More silence. A soft voice asked, "Does this have to do with that guy you kissed?"

Bella's eyes swam in tears as she continued. "No. No, there was never a guy."

"Did you lie about that because you thought I'd break up with you when you told me? You thought you wouldn't have to do it – that I'd do it for you?"

"No." Bella said quickly, a single tear sliding down her cheek. "No, I did kiss someone, like I said. But _you're _the one who said it was a guy."

There was a long pause. Bella waited for him to say something, taking shaky breaths. She was trying to contain her tears, but she was doing a miserable job. She cried softly into her cell phone. "So you kissed a girl? Who?"

"Alice. Her name's Alice. I was on my way to Forks when I saw her and her brother, Jasper, on the side of the road. Her car had broken down. They were going to Seattle. I decided to give them a ride and – "

"Bella!" Edward scolded, cutting her off. He sounded livid. "You picked up hitchhikers? Why would you do that? Do you realize how dangerous they could have been?"

"Yes, I know, Edward. I'm not a child. But I saw her, and there was just something about her. I knew they weren't dangerous. Her brother sleeps most of the car ride, so Alice has kept me company. I was really confused about what I was feeling at first. All I knew was that it was strong, and it was a definite attraction. And it was wrong because I was a girl... _with a boyfriend_. But then she kissed me, and I knew... I knew I couldn't ignore my feelings for her."

She could have sworn she heard him sob. She reached up and swiped at the tears that wouldn't stop falling.

"I turned her away, though. I told her to leave me alone, and I called you a couple of hours later intending to break up with you, but I couldn't hurt you like that. I couldn't do it. Then today, I watched her flirt shamelessly with some skanky waitress, and I watched her – so excited and beautiful – go out on a date with said waitress... I've never been more jealous in my life."

Edward didn't say anything. She sobbed loudly into the speaker, a blubbering mess.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I'm so sorry. I'll understand if you hate me and never want to see me again. But please, just give me some closure. Say something."

Nothing.

"Edward? Please. Say something, _please_."

Bella cried into the palm of her hand as she waited for a response that she clearly wasn't going to get. Then, finally, "Bella... I don't know what to say." His voice sounded tear soaked.

"Just tell me if you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

She sputtered, nearly choking on her saliva. "W-what?"

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you, Bella. You mean too much to me." Edward paused, composing himself. It was useless. She could still hear the heartbreak in his velvety voice. "It hurts losing you. I can't pretend it doesn't. That doesn't mean I hate you, though, or this Alice girl. Does she make you happy?"

"Yes." Bella choked, nodding, even though he couldn't see her.

"Then what kind of person would I be if I wanted you to give up your happiness for someone you've never even loved?" She started to protest, but he wouldn't let her get out more than two words. "I know you love me, but not in the way I want. Even so, I'm going to have to settle for that kind of love because I can't cut you out of my life. I can't go from spending everyday with you to never seeing you again."

"So you want to be friends?"

"I'd like to try."

Bella smiled through her tears – the first genuine smile of the night. "I'm glad."

"I know you, Bella. I know you probably feel horrible right now, but don't. It's not your fault. You can't control how you feel."

"I know. I-I just... I just hate hurting you."

"It's for the best."

"I hope."

"You know I'm always here for you."

"And _I'm_ always here for_ you_."

Edward chuckled. "Good. Maybe next time we see each other we can share our girlfriend problems."

Bella frowned, staring at the carpet. "Well, I don't know if Alice will want to be my girlfriend. I mean, she told me tonight to please make a decision because if I didn't want to be with her then she'll need to move on. But – but what if she comes back from her date with Victoria and decides that Victoria's better than me?"

Edward chuckled again, although this one sounded teasing. "How could anyone be better than you, love? You're one of the most incredible people I've ever met."

Bella sniffled. "Thanks, Eddy."

"Oh, God. Please don't call me that ever again."

Bella giggled. "Fine, I won't. I promise."

"I wish I was with you right now."

"I don't." Bella admitted. "It would have only made this harder."

"True," Edward agreed. "but you sound like you need a hug."

Bella laughed sadly. "Yeah, I do, actually."

"Why don't you ask Alice? From what you've told me, she sounds more than willing." he said in a teasing tone, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"How can you joke about her?"

"I don't know." Edward said honestly, pausing as he thought. "It hurts to think about you and her, together, but joking is like a form of healing for me. It makes it easier to handle."

"Then by all means – joke away."

Edward chuckled wholeheartedly – the laugh that had become such a staple in Bella's life reverberated in her ears. Her eyelids fluttered closed. "I hope everything works out for you two, Bells."

"Me too, Edward." She sighed softly, pulling her knees to her chest. Her eyes remained firmly shut. "And I hope you find some hot, Brazilian super model."

Edward laughed again, this time a bit louder. "Yeah, I hope so, too."

She laughed weakly. "I'll miss you."

"Yeah, me too. You're my best friend, Bella Swan."

"And you're mine, Edward Cullen."

"What about Jake? Won't he be jealous? I thought you two had friendship bracelets and shit..."

"What he doesn't know can't hurt him."

Edward snickered. "Night, best friend."

"Sweet dreams, Edward."

XxXxXxXxXx

Alice pulled open the door to her motel room, wondering why the lights were still on. She figured Bella would have shut them off when she left. She closed the door behind her, letting her purse slide down her shoulder and land on the soft carpeting. She turned to her bed, prepared to fall face first into the scratchy pillows, but let out a surprised yelp when she caught sight of the girl sitting there.

"Bella?" Alice asked cautiously, taking a step towards the brunette. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her hair hung in her face. Her chin rested on the tops of her pale knees. "Are you okay?" Bella's eyes closed momentarily, and Alice moved to get a good look at her. Even though she looked like she'd spent the past hour crying, she was as beautiful as ever.

"I decided." Bella said in a scratchy voice, her eyes fluttering open and locking on Alice's. "I talked to Edward a couple of minutes after you left. I told him everything."

Alice sank into the chair by the desk. "So he knows about me and our kiss?"

Bella nodded.

"And he didn't forgive you? He didn't want to be with you after that?" Alice asked, her stomach jumping into her throat. She could just imagine Bella on the phone, and Edward turning her away. That's why she was crying.

Bella shook her head, her bottom lip trembling. "No. He forgave me."

Alice looked away, a blank expression on her usually lively face. "Oh. Well, good for you two." Alice stood up suddenly, nearly knocking the chair over. She had to get out of there. She didn't want Bella to see her cry. "He's a really lucky guy."

She made for the door, hoping to get out of there as quickly as she could, but Bella's voice stopped her. "Wait. Alice. What are you talking about?"

Alice turned around slowly, tears brimming in her eyes. "You decided. You chose him. And I'm happy for you, Bella. I'm happy for both of you."

"Alice..." Bella stumbled from the bed to where Alice stood, wrapping her arms tightly around the petite girl. Alice patted her back awkwardly, not sure how to react. All she wanted to do was get out of there; maybe walk to a McDonalds and eat her weight in fries and McFlurries to forget about everything.

"Bella, I need to go – "

"I didn't chose him."

"No, really, I – " Bella's words registered in Alice's mind, and she pulled away from the hug with an incredulous look on her face. She blinked a couple of times, trying to comprehend what the girl had said. "You... you _didn't _chose him?"

Bella shook her head, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I chose you."

Before she even knew what she was doing, Alice charged at the girl, dragging her into a bone-breaking hug. Bella hugged her back just as forcefully, and they stood there like that for a couple of minutes before Alice finally pulled back. "Did you really break up with Edward?"

"I did."

"And was he angry at you?"

"No. Just hurt."

Alice nodded in understanding, chewing on her bottom lip. "I guess I feel bad for Edward, but I just... I'm happy you didn't choose him."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "You still want to be with me? Even after your date with Victoria?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Victoria was a bore. All she wanted to do is fool around, and when I didn't want to, she got pissed. Haven't you noticed that I've only been gone an hour?"

Bella looked at the clock beside Alice's bed. In piercing read numbers, it read 8:19. "Oh. Yeah. You _are_ back early."

"Yep." Alice said simply. "But to answer your question, of course I still want to be with you. Feelings like these don't change in an hour. If anything, they grew stronger."

Bella's eyes filled with tears. Alice's widened. "W-What is it? Did I say something wrong?" Alice asked, resting a gentle hand on Bella's shoulder. The taller girl shook her head.

"I'm just really happy."

"Why?"

"Because I made the right decision."

Alice smiled widely, wrapping her arms around Bella's shoulders. Her fingers ran lightly over Bella's scalp, making her shiver. "I knew you would." Alice said, and before Bella could respond, she pulled her into a kiss.

* * *

**A/N:** Is this chapter too unrealistic? Too fast? Too fluffy? Too cheese-tastic? Those questions have been running through my mind since I finished it yesterday. I really hope you say no to all of those questions because this is such an important chapter. Please let me know what you think, though. If you want me to survive, then your reviews are vital... Okay, that's a lie. But if you want this story to survive, then they're vital. I hope you enjoyed!

**Songs: **"Lately" by The Helio Sequence; "Open Your Eyes" by Andrew Belle


	9. Happiness

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. I mean, it hasn't been a terrible amount of time, but I still would have liked to have updated sooner. And thank you for all of the honest reviews! I got 32 on Chapter 8 alone. _WOW_. I truly have the greatest readers. You guys are incredible. Anyway, this chapter has a pretty heavy focus on Jasper. A large portion of it doesn't have to do with Alice and Bella and makes only a mention of them. I hope you still enjoy it though because I really liked writing it. Jasper deserves a little piece of the spotlight, too, right? This is the longest chapter yet, and possibly my favorite. I loved writing Alice and Bella as a couple. They're so adorable. Now onto the chapter...  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Forks, Washington; or the characters. I do, however, own the plot, the dialogue, Djoko's diner, Djoko/George, and Summer (although credit for her name goes to the lovely Kyraaah1992).

* * *

**Happiness**

Bella laid on her bed, her hair fanned out beneath her. Her legs hung over the edge and she swung them back and forth carelessly. She had spent the night like this – kicking her legs, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of nighttime outside her window. She hadn't been able to sleep after the events of the night.

After she'd told Alice that she broke up with Edward and chose her, they'd spent a bit of time kissing. Actually, a lot of time kissing, but Bella hadn't minded. Kissing Edward had never included the static electricity that kissing Alice brought her. She felt like her whole body was on fire and she would have been content with staying there, kissing her, all night. But at around 2am Bella untangled herself from the petite girl and made her way back to her room. They were going to have a long day today – if Jasper was up to it, of course – and she needed as much sleep as possible.

Bella sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and running her fingers through her still damp hair. That was one of the downsides of having thick hair; it took hours to dry. She lifted herself off of the mattress and began getting ready. She threw on a thin, gray v-neck and a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans. She put on a bit of mascara and foundation then slipped on her Converse and left the room. It was 7am, and she figured Alice would already be awake.

She knocked twice on the girl's door and waited patiently for an answer. It didn't take long for her to get one. Alice opened the door a few seconds later and tugged Bella inside, a bright smile lighting up her beautiful face. She had the faintest amount of makeup on, but her outfit was a traditional Alice Brandon ensemble: A short black and white polka-dot skirt that hugged her infinitely small waist, a pale pink short-sleeved blouse with ruffles surrounding the swoop neck, and a pair of shiny, black, peep-toe pumps.

Alice tilted her head up a bit – she was nearly Bella's height in her shoes – and pressed a chaste kiss on Bella's full lips. She made to pull back, but Bella's slender arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her in closer. Bella captured Alice's lips in another kiss, this one more passionate. They stood there for a minute or two, kissing, melting into one another. Bella's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, and she pulled away for the shortest second to regain her breath before diving back in.

They could have stood there all day, kissing each other, but a knock on the door made them jump apart. Bella's face turned scarlet as Alice hurried to the door, opening it just a fraction of an inch to glare at the person who'd knocked. "What do you need, Jazz?"

"I'm feeling fine now. I think I just had a twenty-four hour bug. So, I was wondering when we were leaving." came Jasper's muffled reply.

Alice opened the door wider, allowing him to enter. He looked mildly surprised to see Bella there and gave her a gentlemanly bow that would've made her chuckle if she weren't so embarrassed. She knew how messy her hair must be – Alice liked to play with it when they kissed – and how swollen her lips must look. He didn't say anything, though. She had really begun to love how non-intrusive he was.

"So..." he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans. "Are we leaving now?"

Bella cleared her throat, hoping she wouldn't sound to nervous. "Y-yeah. We're leaving now."

He nodded nonchalantly and turned towards the door, giving Alice a small smile as he left the room. Alice knew what that was for. It was Jasper, after all. He was all knowing. He could tell how happy she was and how breathless Bella was. He must've put two and two together.

Alice grabbed her purse from the floor and looked around the room to make sure she had all of her things. Bella waited patiently by the door as Alice searched, watching the girl. When she concentrated, a small crinkle formed between her eyes and her lips pursed. Bella thought it was the cutest expression.

Alice caught her staring and grinned, bending down slowly and giving Bella a clear few of her behind. Bella grabbed a pillow and chucked it at her, causing the pixie to collapse onto the floor in a giggling heap. Bella laughed along with her, watching as she picked herself up and straightened her outfit. She winked at Bella, her ocean blue eyes sparkling, and threw her bag over her shoulder. "Let's hit the road, Jack."

XxXxXxXxXx

Bella pulled into the parking lot of Djoko's, a small diner in the middle of Portland, Oregon. Alice's warm body was pressed firmly against her side, and Alice would periodically rest her hand on Bella's thigh. Bella felt a pang of loss each time Alice would pull away.

She stepped out of the truck, reaching out a hand for Alice. Alice grabbed the hand thankfully, her palm soft and radiating heat, and jumped to the pavement. Instead of letting go of Bella's hand, she merely curled her fingers around Bella's and held on forcefully. Bella couldn't help but smile.

Jasper walked behind the two, his eyes trailing down to their entwined hands. He grinned, happy that Bella had finally come to her senses. He hated seeing Alice so hurt and lonely. She deserved someone who could care for her truly and completely. It looked as if she may have found that person in Bella.

They strolled into the diner, the bell above the door making a soft dinging noise as they entered. Alice led them to a booth – Bella was starting to think the small girl had an obsession with leather cushions – and pulled Bella into one of the seats. Jasper took his time settling himself across from them. Alice gave him a bright smile, one that told him he no longer had to worry about her, and Bella smiled shyly in response while staring at the gray tabletop.

They hadn't really come for food. Bella had been getting tired of driving and wanted a break, which both Jasper and Alice had been fine with. None of them really wanted the road trip to end. Alice and Bella wished they could drive together for months, just holding hands and listening to the dozens of CDs Bella kept hidden away in her car. Jasper, being the lone wolf he was, simply enjoyed it for the scenery. He could stare peacefully out a car window for hours, no matter what type of scenery he was looking at it. It was so relaxing; a nice break from his usually hectic life.

He felt a sudden, strange tingling in his body, a feeling he only ever got when someone was staring at him. He turned to his left and caught the perpetrator. The girl was about 22 with raven hair and the most striking eyes he'd ever seen. They were a dark golden, like a bowl full of honey. A plain, white headband pushed her long, wavy hair out of her face. She didn't seem flustered when he caught her staring. She merely looked down at the table and scribbled away at a piece of paper that sat in front of her. She looked up again, tilting her head slightly to the right, then went back to scribbling.

Jasper tried to shake it off, but he'd felt something odd when he'd looked at her. He couldn't quite pinpoint the feeling. It was like he'd seen her before – like he knew her from somewhere. He had never spent much time in Portland, but maybe she was a traveler too. Maybe he'd seen her walking around Seattle. Whatever it was, he felt the urge to go talk to the girl. He mentally rolled his eyes at himself. She'd probably think it strange if some random guy at a diner came to talk to her.

He chanced a glance back at her, and, unsurprisingly, she was staring again. She gave him the tiniest of smiles, and he took a deep, calming breath. His heart was hammering in his chest. He'd never had this kind of reaction to someone he didn't even know. Hell, he'd never had that reaction to someone he _did_ know.

"Jasper?" Alice asked. Her thin eyebrow was raised so high it looked like it was escaping into her hairline. "Are you okay over there? You look like you're having a heart attack."

He shook his head, hoping in vain that his jumbled thoughts would fall into place. Why was he acting like this? He was Jasper Brandon. He'd had his fair share of girlfriends, though none of them serious, and he was no romantic – although Alice liked to say otherwise. He couldn't have experienced something as trite and unrealistic as love at first sight. He was just interested in the girl. Yeah, that was all. I mean, she _was_ staring at him in a really creepy way. All of that heart hammering was probably because his subconscious had been worried she was some serial killer. Yeah, that _had_ to be it...

"I'm fine." He told Alice offhandedly, waving off her curious gaze. He knew that if he told Alice about what had just happened she'd squeal for a minute straight, proclaim he was in love, and rush over to tell the girl. That was the last thing he need – a maybe-serial killer thinking he was in love with her.

Alice shrugged and turned to Bella, her expression somber. "So what happened last night with Edward? We were too busy..." she paused for a moment, her cheeks turning the faintest shade of pink. "well, being busy, and I forgot to ask."

Bella started to explain, probably verbatim, the conversation she'd had with Edward. Alice hung onto every word, her eyes even wider than usual. Jasper, who was bored with the story after about three seconds, turned to sneak a peek at the maybe-serial killer. She was full out smiling at him now, a number two pencil tucked behind her ear. Her hands were folded on the table over the paper she'd been working on, and one of her eyebrows rose in a silent question. He mumbled a quick "be back in a bit" to the girls, who paid him no attention to him in return.

The stranger stared at him calmly as he walked over and pointed at the seat across from her. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head, her wavy hair flowing around her shoulders. "Be my guest." she said in a husky voice. Jasper's heart sped up again as he pulled out a chair and plopped down in it. She looked over Jasper's shoulder, her beautiful eyes focused on Bella and Alice. "Are one of those two your girlfriend?"

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "Did you not notice them skipping in with their hands intertwined? They're together."

"I saw." she admitted, turning to smile at Jasper. "I just didn't want to flat out ask if you were single. It's called being polite, Mr..." She trailed off, hinting with subtlety that she didn't know his name.

"Mr. Jasper Brandon, ma'am." He said, extending his hand over the table. She gave him a dreamy smile, reaching out to take his hand.

"Pleasure. I'm Ms. Summer Nikolic."

Her ghost-white hand fit perfectly into his golden one like two pieces of a puzzle being put together. He stared at her intently while her gaze focused on their hands. The shake lasted much longer than was acceptable, and Summer pulled away with a twinge of regret.

"The pleasure's all mine." He said earnestly, flashing her a wide grin. "I_ am _single, by the way." He winked.

Summer chuckled, reaching forward and taking a sip of her chocolate milkshake. "Why, Mr. Brandon, you're quite the charmer."

"And you, Ms. Nikolic, are quite the drawer." He responded, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at the sketch sitting on the table. Her thin arms shot out and covered the page protectively, giving him an embarrassed – almost frightened – look.

"My apologies, Mr. Brandon, but my drawings are for my eyes only." Summer quickly closed her sketchbook, gripping onto the edge of it. She was hoping to pull it onto her lap before he asked more about it.

"I saw what you drew." Her breath caught in her chest, and she gave him a wary look. Jasper didn't sound creeped out or angry. He seemed almost... delighted. "It was me."

Summer laughed nervously as her hands slipped away from the book. "Yeah, well... I enjoy drawing strangers." Jasper raised his eyebrows, urging her to continue. "When you draw someone you know, you tend to draw them the way you see them. I feel that the more you know someone's personality, the more it influences the way you see their physical appearance.

"For example, if you were to sketch my father, you'd draw him as a tall, stern looking man with a big nose and messy hair. When _I_ draw my father, I always draw this glint of humor in his eyes and the faint smile lines around his lips from years of joking and laughing. I draw him in a determined stance; he's always been a determined man, That's the reason this diner is even in existence."

"Wait, your father owns this place?" Jasper cut her off to ask. Summer nodded.

"Yes. My father's Djoko, although that's only his nickname. His real name's George. He's a good-tempered farm boy from Serbia. He's devoted his life to this little diner, and it's really paid off." She stared at a man at the counter. Jasper could tell it was her father from the way she'd described him. Her eyes were full of love, and she had the sweetest smile on her pretty face. The man turned to smile back at the girl and give Jasper a poisonous glare. Summer laughed loudly.

"Don't worry about him, Mr. Brandon. He feels it's his duty to always protect his little girl." She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "He's a big softy, though."

Jasper laughed. "You live in Portland, then?"

Summer nodded. "Born and raised. I like traveling, though. I make trips to California and Washington a couple times a year."

"Really?" Jasper asked, genuinely curious. "I used to live in Seattle. I moved to Arizona, though, due to being in the Air Force. But I visit a lot. I love the Olympic Peninsula. It's so beautiful." Summer nodded in agreement, taking another sip of her milkshake.

"You should come visit me sometime." She said bluntly, her intense gaze fixed on him. "Or I could come visit you."

Jasper gave her an incredulous look. She didn't seem like the serial killer type, so he ruled out the idea that she was trying to lure him in to murder. Maybe she was interested. And maybe he was, too... "That'd be great." He said, smiling at the beaming girl before him. She twirled her straw between her fingers.

"I think your friends are ready to leave." She said softly, her eyes trailing to Alice and Bella. They were by the register, paying for their drinks and Alice's fries. Alice was shooting Jasper an excited look. He knew she was going to grill him on this when they got back into the car.

"Yeah." He stood up, pushing in the chair noisily. Summer sat there, still rolling her straw between her thumb and forefinger. She looked rather expectant. "Do you think I could get your number, Ms. Nikolic?"

She flashed him a vivid smile as she reached for a napkin. "Of course." She wrote her number down in perfectly formed numbers and handed him the napkin. Their fingers touched for a fraction of a second as he grabbed hold of the napkin, and her smile grew. "It was wonderful meeting you, Mr. Brandon."

"Likewise. I'll call you soon. Maybe we could meet up again before I go back to Arizona."

"That would be splendid."

With one final smile, Jasper turned and followed a silent Bella and an anxious Alice out of the diner.

XxXxXxXxXx

After Alice grilled him about Summer for the better part of an hour, Jasper curled up in the seat and took a much needed nap. Alice kept poking at him, hoping he'd wake up so she could interrogate him some more, but he was a lost cause. She sighed in discontent and rested her spiky-haired head on Bella's shoulder.

"I'm sleepy." She said, trying to hold in a yawn but failing.

"You're not going to sleep on me." Bella said, nudging the girl's temple with her shoulder. "I will not sit here bored for the next three hours."

Alice raised her head to look at Bella. "Three hours? It'll only be seven o'clock... Are we turning in that early?"

Bella raised an eyebrow at the pixie. "Alice, in three hours we'll be in Seattle."

Alice's heart both bloomed and constricted at the thought of Seattle. While she was excited to see Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett, – but Esme especially since she hadn't seen her in two months – she couldn't help but feel her and Bella's relationship, or whatever it was, would end as soon as the road trip did.

"Bella," she said, mentally gathering all of her courage. "about us..."

"Yeah?" Bella asked in a casual tone, although her heart was hammering painfully against her ribcage. This was it. Alice was going to tell her that things were happening too fast. She hadn't expected Bella to drop Edward like that, and when she did it had put everything into perspective for Alice. She didn't want Bella forever. She wanted her for a few days; a mere play thing. A cute little straight girl she could toy around with. This had been a fling and nothing more. Of course that wasn't something Alice would do, but Bella had always been one to jump to the worst of conclusions.

"Are you interested in pursuing a serious relationship beyond this road trip?" She knew what Bella was going to say, although she hoped to God that she'd spare her. Bella only broke up with Edward because she hadn't truly loved him. She was grateful Alice had given her the push she needed to do it, but she was straight. She wasn't interested in a girl, let alone _Alice_. It was Tanya all over again. Jasper had warned her...

"Absolutely." Bella said in a soft voice, dragging Alice away from her thoughts. She let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding and a silly, lovesick smile blossomed on her face. "A-and you?"

"Of course, Bella! I'd be an idiot to not pursue a serious relationship with you." She practically leaped at the girl, showering her face and neck and collarbone – and any exposed skin, really – with sloppy kisses.

"Alice," Bella said, reigning in her laughter in an attempt to sound stern. "I'm trying to drive here!"

"Oh, sorry." Alice said sheepishly, peeling herself off of Bella and sitting back in the leather seat. She was motionless as she mulled over their conversation. "Absolutely." she murmured, the stupid grin appearing on her face once again. "I've never heard a more wonderful word."

Bella gently bumped Alice's shoulder with hers, and the tiny girl giggled.

"I was thinking..." Alice began. The courage she'd found to ask Bella about their relationship was still present. "would you like to spend a day or two in Seattle? We have plenty of guest rooms, and Esme certainly wouldn't mind. She'll want to meet you. Do you think your dad would be angry?"

"That sounds great, Alice." Bella said, turning away from the road for a second to smile at the girl. "And no, Charlie wouldn't mind. I was actually thinking of taking you to Forks for a day to meet him. He'll love you."

"Well," Alice said, slapping her hands against her thighs. "It's settled then. We're gonna meet each other's parent." Bella gulped at the thought and Alice chuckled. "Never thought I'd be doing this so soon."

"Neither did I. But it feels right, ya know?"

Alice reached over and grabbed Bella's right hand off the wheel, webbing their fingers together. She brought their hands to her lap and stared happily at them, a dreamy expression plastered on her lovely features.

"Oh, I know."

* * *

**A/N: **There you have it. Next chapter you'll be meeting Rose, Emmett, and Mama Esme! I hope you all liked this chapter. What did you think of Alice and Bella as a couple? And them meeting each other's parent? How about the Jasper/Summer bit? Was it okay? And just a quick tidbit: I'm Serbian and that influenced my decision to make Summer Serbian. And the character of Djoko/George is based completely and totally off of my father. The personality, physical appearance, backstory, and name are the same. I love my dad and figured, hey, why not give him a shoutout that he'll never in a million years find out about. So there you go.

**Songs: **There wasn't just one. I listened to Arcade Fire's entire new album, "The Suburbs," on repeat; although, I did happen to listen to "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" on repeat for the last portion of this chapter.


	10. Game Night

**Author's Note: **I had this chapter finished about 36 hours ago, but I refrained from posting it because I hadn't put it through the editing and revising stages. I was hoping to get it done with last night and have it posted by around midnight yesterday (or this morning, I guess), but I fell asleep. Then I was hoping to have it posted this morning, but I had to go do things for school and found out that although I have many friends, I have zero of them in many of my classes. That put me in a bad mood, so I sulked for a good chunk of time before getting back to business. As a result, this isn't completely revised to my liking. It's not horrible, though, and I'm actually fairly proud of it. It was tough introducing three new characters at once, but it was also fun having them meet Bella. School starts up again Wednesday, which means that updates may not be as frequent as I'd like them to be. Seeing as how this story was mostly written over the summer, I'm not sure how easy it'll be to fit into my school schedule. Regardless, I hope you enjoy, and I'll try to get Chapter 11 written, revised, and edited as quickly as possible. Thanks for the reviews and for continuing with me, even though I know this story really isn't the best considering it being my first Multi-Chapter fic. I'm glad to know you all haven't given up on my inferior writing skills. Okay, okay, I'll shut up now...  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters; Stephenie Meyer does, although I tweaked their personalities a bit and their genealogy. I don't own Seattle, Washington; the USA does. I don't own the game of Taboo; I believe Hasbro does, but don't quote me on that. However, I do own the plot. So yipee for me!

* * *

**Game Night**

Bella followed Alice's directions, navigating her way around Seattle. She'd only been there once with Charlie when he planned a big father-daughter day. They spent most of their time in the city; they saw a movie, ate a big dinner, and just walked around. They hadn't ventured into the suburbs. Alice pointed to the right, and Bella turned obediently. Jasper sat silently in the passenger seat per usual.

"Stop!" Alice yelled suddenly as they drove down a long street. Bella hit the brakes, and they all shot forward in their seats. Jasper mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "Thank God for seat belts."

"What is it?" Bella asked nervously, looking around for any other cars or, God forbid, a police officer. The last thing she needed was a ticket. Alice pointed to the right again.

"There." she said, practically bouncing in her seat. "That's it! That's our house!"

The house Alice spoke of was two levels high and a stark white. It had pretty robin's egg blue shutters and had a lively garden lining the pathway and perimeter of the house. The front door was set back on a pristine wraparound porch. Bella noted a lone rocking chair sitting to the left of the porch. She parked quickly and hopped out of the car, staring up at the large house. It was the all-American home. It was stunning.

Alice skipped up the stone walkway, the widest smile Bella had ever seen lighting up her small face. She paused for a split second to reach down and sniff a patch of vibrant orange tiger lilies before running up the porch and pounding her tiny fists on the front door. Jasper followed, a lazy smile tugging at his lips, and Bella followed suit. Her nerves were rattling around inside of her, and she took deep breaths to calm herself. There was no need to get worked up about anything. Alice had briefed her on her family in the car and told Bella all she needed to know.

The door was pulled open to reveal a tall, broad-shouldered man. He had short, curly black hair, a wide grin, and dimples that gave him a boyish look. Bella had seen on countless movie posters and in the many action flicks Edward had dragged her to see. "Alice!" He shouted happily and grabbed her around the middle, lifting her up in a tight hug. She struggled to get out of his embrace as though she'd rather be anywhere than with him, but her endless giggles proved otherwise. "I've missed you, little one." He said, ruffling her hair. She giggled again.

"I've missed you, too, Em. But can you please let me down?" No one could resist Alice when she pouted.

"Fine." The man – Emmett, Bella realized – said, setting her back down on the porch. "But only 'cause you asked so nicely."

Alice rolled her eyes and gracefully moved out of Jasper's way as he walked inside. Emmett and him did a guy greeting – they hugged and patted each other's backs roughly – and Jasper swept past him and into the house. Emmett gave Bella a curious look, that huge grin still plastered on his face. "And who's this?" He asked, motioning to Bella with his thumb.

Alice rushed to Bella, curled her fingers around the girl's, and pulled her up the stairs to face Emmett. "Em, this is my... my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is my sister's action star boyfriend, Emmett McCarty. He's not the brightest crayon in the box, but he's not that bad once you get to know him." Emmett chuckled at the insult and pulled Bella away from Alice and into a bear hug.

"Ali never told me she had a girlfriend _or _that she was bringing her here." He pulled away, and Bella felt the air rush back into her deprived lungs. Emmett really knew how to give a hug. "But the more, the merrier! Welcome to the family, Bella!" He slung his massive arm around her shoulders and led her to the kitchen.

The first thing Bella registered was the sound of humming. It was soft and sweet and drifting towards them from the bright kitchen. The next thing was the flash of blond hair that rushed past her and crashed into Alice's tiny form. "ALICE!" The blond shouted, rocking from side to side in excitement. "Took you long enough to get here, bitch."

Alice rolled her eyes at the blond and shoved her playfully. "Hush up, Rose. We had some problems along the way. You know that." The blond – who must've been Rosalie – tossed her silky hair over her shoulder and turned to Emmett and Bella. Her violet eyes narrowed into slits as she sized up the shy brunette.

"And _you_ are?" She asked, her voice so frigid that Bella cringed. Her golden hair hung down her back in perfect ringlets. She had curves in all the right places; her physique was one that any woman would be envious. She was tall and statuesque, and Bella immediately understood how she was a model. Not only was she one of the most breathtaking people Bella had ever seen, but her unique iris color made her that much more radiant. It was strange to hear someone so beautiful speak with so much venom in their voice.

"I apologize for Rosalie." Alice cut in, moving to stand beside her sister. "We never could teach her manners. Bella, this is my socially inept sister, Rosalie. Rosalie, this is my girlfriend, Bella."

Rosalie sputtered at the girl, her pretty eyes widening. "G-Girlfriend? Your _girlfriend_? But you told me yesterday that you didn't have a girlfriend."

Alice shrugged casually. "Things change, Rosie."

There was a sudden crash in the kitchen and all eyes turned to it. "I'll go make sure everything is okay." Emmett offered, peeking around the corner. Both Alice and Rosalie followed his lead. Bella looked around Alice's slight form to see a tiny, thin woman with caramel hair thanking Jasper profusely as he picked up pieces of glass off the tiled floor.

"You really don't have to do that, sweetie. I'm perfectly capable of cleaning up my messes. I'm the one who made it after all." The woman – who Bella could only guess was Esme – said as she wiped her hands on her apron. Jasper waved her off as he continued clearing the mess. She beamed at him. "Thank you, Jasper."

Esme looked up and caught sight of Alice beneath Rosalie's arm. Her smile widened, and she walked around Jasper and the mess of glass to encase her daughter in frail-looking arms. "Oh, Alice." She said, squeezing the girl as tightly as she could. "I've missed you."

Alice smiled as she pulled away from her mother. There was no one else quite like Esme Brandon. From her cooking and her baking to her mothering nature and the look of love that was always present in her hazel eyes, no one could compare.

Alice had been taken by child services from her drug addicted mother at the age of two and was immediately put into foster care. She had been through five houses by the time she was united with Esme. She was four years old and desperately missed her parents, always hoping they'd come and a take her home. But she'd quickly learned that anywhere Esme was was her true home. Screw genealogy; Esme had always been her mother and always would be.

Esme turned to Bella, her smile so warm and welcoming. Alice moved to stand beside Bella, grinning up at the brunette. "Mom, this is Bella, my girlfriend. Bella, this is my mother, Esme." Esme's smile grew even more at Alice's proclamation. Like Emmett, she reached forward and enveloped Bella in a hug; although, Bella could breathe in Esme's embrace.

Esme moved back to get a better look at Bella, though she reached down and gently took Bella's hands in hers. "It's so great to meet you, Bella. Unfortunately, Alice hasn't told us much about you." Esme turned to shoot Alice a reprimanding look, and Alice had the decency to look sheepish for once.

"You know I would've, Mom, but mine and Bella's relationship is new... Brand new, actually. We only met a few days ago." Alice explained, tugging at her short locks.

Rosalie looked between the couple and arched an eyebrow. "So, what? You two talked online and only just met in person?"

Alice coughed. "A week ago, I didn't even know Bella existed. We met after my car broke down. She gave Jazz and I a ride here."

"Your car broke down?" Esme asked, her words coated with concern. "Where is it now?"

Alice shrugged casually, plopping down on one of the kitchen stools. "God only knows. We left it on the side of the highway in Phoenix. It's probably at some dump."

Esme shook her head at her daughter before the girl's words truly registered. "Wait," Esme said, holding up her finger to prevent anyone from moving onto another topic. "You took a ride from a stranger? And you," she turned on Bella, her hands on her hips and her eyebrows stitched together in a straight line. "Bella, you gave a ride to two people you didn't know?"

Bella's face flushed with embarrassment. It wasn't fair that she was being lectured about this again. "They seemed nice enough." She mumbled, her teeth sinking into the soft flesh of her bottom lip. "And there was something about Alice..." Bella smiled shyly at the pixie, who bared her teeth in a happy grin.

Esme sighed in a stern, maternal way, but the smile in her eyes showed them she wasn't angry. She was glad that Alice had found someone. When Alice had first come out, Esme had been supportive. No matter what, she would always be the Alice that she knew and loved. Then Tanya, Alice's first love and first relationship, had come along, crushed her heart, and left. Esme was worried about Alice; she'd been so different and secluded for a few months after that. But now she was Alice; now she was whole again. Esme knew that she had Bella to partially thank for that.

"So," Emmett said, breaking the silence with his boisterous voice and the sound of his massive hands slamming on the counter top. Rosalie rolled her eyes at him. "I say we have a family game night tonight."

Rosalie and Alice groaned, but Jasper – who had just finished sweeping away the last bit of glass – chuckled and patted Emmett on the back. "Sounds like fun to me. Name the game and the teams." He said, leaning against the counter as Esme finished whipping a batch of homemade cream cheese frosting. Jasper licked his lips appreciatively as he stared at the frosting. Alice giggled.

"Hmm," Emmett rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Taboo, and I call dibs on Bella and the pixie." He grinned and winked at Bella. "I never lose at Taboo. You'll be glad your on my team." Bella shrugged and turned to see Alice's reaction. She was practically bouncing out of her seat.

"So it's set." Jasper said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Emmett, Bella, and Alice are one team, and me, Rose, and Mom are the other." Esme smiled at them as she popped something into the oven.

"We're so gonna lose." Rosalie grumbled, ignoring her boyfriend's roaring laughter.

XxXxXxXxXx

"No, I am your father." Emmett said in a deep voice as a seated Alice hopped in place. They were on their second round of Taboo, and Bella was on the winning team; although, they were only winning by two points. And Alice and Emmett did much of the answering... and shouting.

"Darth Vader!" Alice yelled almost immediately, clapping her hands in excitement when Emmett reached for the next card.

"You live here."

"Los Angeles!"

"Less specific."

"CALIFORNIA!"

Her screech made Bella cringe slightly, but she was glad Alice was enjoying herself. Even though she'd only answered one question correctly, Bella was having fun, too. She'd had a small family, being an only child raised by a single mother, and she envied the big family Alice grew up with.

"Vogue."

"Madonna." Alice chirped, glowing with pride as Emmett flipped to the next card. Bella had no clue how the two did it, but they were able to find the answer form the vaguest of clues.

"You eat this after dinner." Emmett said, looking frantic. Their time was about halfway up.

"Dessert."

"What's your favorite kind?"

"Cheesecake!"

Next card. "You go to this when you're shopping and need cash."

"Easy. The ATM."

And the next. "Your favorite thing to... sip?"

"Dr. Pepper."

"No. Close. Think that kind of... liquid, but which ones are rivals?"

"Pepsi and Coca-Cola!" She shouted, shooting up from the couch and waving her hands around. She was really getting into the game.

"Yes! Coca-Cola!" Emmett grinned again and picked up a new card. "I have this."

"Herpes?"

Emmett paused to glare at her, but then he saw the small sliver of sand left in the hourglass. His eyes widened, and he started talking fast. "I always take my shirt off in movies so the fans can stare at my..."

"Excessive amount of body fat?"

"Alice! Be serious!"

"Okay, okay. Abs?"

"More specific."

"Six-pack!"

"Bingo." He flipped to a fresh card. They had about 8 seconds left. "Oh! Rosie played this in band back in her geek days!"

"Clarinet!" Alice shouted right as the time stopped. Emmett nodded in excitement, and she ran to high-five him. They both turned to Bella and high-fived her. She didn't think they realized she did absolutely no work in that round. Still, she couldn't help but be excited that they won eight points.

Rosalie, who'd been watching over Emmett's shoulder to make sure he didn't say any of the taboo words, glowered as he celebrated with Alice and Bella. She was up for her team and won them five points before she got to the second to last card. "I'm great at giving..."

"Head." Emmett, who was monitoring Rosalie's clues and manning the buzzer, coughed. Rosalie sneered at him, Esme completely ignored him, and the other three snickered into their hands.

"Barack Obama's good at giving them, too." She added as an afterthought.

"Speeches?" Jasper asked and Rosalie beamed at him before hurriedly snatching up another card.

"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm. And your cheeks so soft. There is nothing for me but to love you." Rosalie sang in a beautiful voice that gave Bella chills. Esme guessed the correct answer – Frank Sinatra – and Rosalie shouted merrily, "Six points to our team!"

After four rounds of excitement, Alice, Bella, and Emmett were crowned victorious. They won by a solid eleven points, and Emmett got a hoot out of Rosalie's sudden sour mood. She glared daggers at him from the other side of the room, but he shrugged his shoulders in a "what can you do?" kind of way.

Esme stretched her arms above her head and yawned loudly. "'Scuse me." She said, smiling at her children, Bella, and Emmett. "I think I'll go to sleep now. It's been a long and exciting day." She stood up and hugged each of them. She held onto Bella extra tight, hoping the girl felt welcome. "You'll be staying the night, right?"

Bella smiled reassuringly. "Yes, I'm staying the night... If that alright with you."

Esme laughed and waved away Bella's worries. "Of course it's alright with me! I don't want you driving when it's this dark out. Have a nice night, everyone!" She waved goodnight to the group and made her way up the stairs, yawning again.

"I'm gonna take a page from mom's book and hit the hay." Jasper said, running a hand over his stubbly scalp. He thoughts drifted to Summer – that long, dark hair falling into those mesmerizing eyes – and he smiled softly to himself. "See ya all tomorrow."

Emmett grabbed Rosalie's hand and led her upstairs. "We have some things to sort out." He explained to Bella and Alice. "Nothing a little lovin' can't heal." He winked and dragged a pissed Rosalie to her old bedroom. Alice made a gagging noise.

"Emmett tends to over share." She told Bella, who was staring thoughtfully at the staircase.

"So I've noticed." She paused and turned to Alice. The tiny girl scooted closer to her on the couch, a pink tint to her pale cheeks. "I love your family."

"And they love you, too." Alice informed her. "I think it was obvious with Esme and Emmett, but Rosalie's pretty difficult to read. Regardless, I know her. I'd be able to tell if she hated you, and she seems okay with you. Just... worried for me."

Bella nodded in understanding. The whole family seemed to be concerned about a Tanya repeat. She wondered how open the family was with one another. She tried, and failed, to contain a yawn. Alice smirked.

"I think it's past your bedtime, Missy." Alice said, grabbing Bella's soft hand in hers and leading her seductively up the stairs.

"But it's only ten thirty."

"But I don't want to hear any of it."

Alice opened the door to her old bedroom. The walls were cobalt blue and the comforter on her queen-sized bed was the color of the sky at noon. There were many little knick-knacks thrown around the room, and rows of trophies sat atop her dresser, glistening in the moonlight coming through her open window. Posters of actors, actresses, and bands covered nearly every inch of wall space.

Bella fell onto the fluffy comforter, exhaustion spreading throughout her body. Alice grinned mischievously and climbed onto the bed. She covered Bella's body with her own, using her hands to keep some of her weight off of the brunette.

"We're not going to sleep, are we?" Bella asked, quirking an eyebrow. Alice grinned.

"You know me too well."

* * *

**A/N:** First off, Alice and Bella don't have sex after that last line. Although they both fell fast, they want to take things slow when it comes to their relationship. I imagine them kissing for a while and maybe some gropping, but nothing beyond second base. In other news, I hope this chapter was alright. I've started reading fanfics again - I told myself I wouldn't read any while I was writing so they wouldn't make me feel self-conscious - and I've realized why I made the "No fanfic reading while fanfic writing" rule. I immediately got self-conscious and started thinking, "Oh, my God. My story sucks. How do these people read it!" So, reviews would be nice to help ease my nerves. I don't expect people to be all, "I BOW DOWN TO YOUR GREATNESS *bows* I AM NOT WORTHY." Yeah, that's over-the-top and ridiculous. I just ask for honesty. Nothing more, nothing less. So, yeah. *coughs* Reviews are lovely.

**Songs: **"Secrets" - One Republic; "Us" - Regina Spektor


	11. Imporant Author's Note

**Important Author's Note:**

I've been really busy with school lately. I've been trying my hardest to balance school work and writing, and it's been working out okay, I guess. I have about three-quarters of the new chapter done, and I was planning on finishing it up and editing and revising on Memorial Day. But something happened that kind of messed everything up.

I had a high fever, sore throat, and killer headache 16 days ago. I took Tylenol and slept a lot, and the next day all of the symptoms were gone. Later that day the headache came back with a vengeance. I had the headaches on and off for the next 9 days. My eyes were sensitive to lighting, so I wasn't able to get on my computer to work on writing. I figured the headaches were due to stress, so I just kept taking Tylenol and resting as much as possible.

I planned to finish everything up Monday night, but when I got back from my friend's party I was running a 102 fever. My mother asked if anything else was wrong, so I listed off the other symptoms. I had a horrible headache, a neck and back ache (which I thought was just from sleeping wrong), dizziness, and nausea. My mother took me to the emergency room because it sounded like meningitis. Turns out it was.

I got a CT scan, multiple blood tests, two chest x-rays, and a spinal tap. They knew it was meningitis due to the white blood cells in my spinal fluid, but they had to wait for the cultures to come back to be sure what caused it and what type it was. If it was bacterial, I would have to stay on antibiotics and the nurses and my visitors would have to wear masks. If it was viral, I would be free to go home because there's no treatment. If it meningococcal, then I would have to be put in a anti-pressure chamber and monitored to make sure I didn't die.

Luckily for me, I just have viral. But I was put on strong antibiotics via IV until all of the cultures came back. I was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon (after three days in there). Most of my symptoms are gone (I have the occasional dizziness and nausea when I push myself too much), but my hands and back are sore from the IV and spinal tap, respectively. I can type for short periods of time, but then my hands get sore and my back starts throbbing so I have to lay done and nap.

I'm going to try to get back to writing as soon as I can, but right now my main priority is getting better. If I don't take it easy then I can relapse anytime in the next month, something that I'm hoping won't happen. I'm going to rest up as much as I can, finish up the week's worth of makeup work I have to do, and get better as quickly as possible.

Sorry for the wait, everyone. I love this story, but if I don't take it easy, then the wait may be even longer cause my virus could get worse. I love you all and hope you don't mind waiting a bit for the next chapter. I'll try to make it extra special for all of you!

-Natalia (WorriedShoes014)


	12. Baking and Heart to Hearts

**Author's Note: **I can't tell you how good it feels to be back to writing. I've missed these characters. I haven't written about them in three weeks. And that's a long time, considering I usually write a bit of this story every week. I promise you that you won't have any more long waits. There will be an update every other week AT THE MOST. Pinky promise. I want to thank all of you for your well wishes, and I'm sorry for not responding to any of your reviews for Chapter 10. I will DEFINITELY respond to your reviews on this chapter. Also, this chapter isn't my best, so don't be too critical. I hope it's at least okay. As always, thank you for reading and being so amazing. You all keep me going. As a side note, this story will have only about three or four more chapters. So savor it while it lasts ;)  
**Disclaimer: **I'm too tired to write something witty. So, whatever. Stephenie Meyer owns it all. Except for the plot!

* * *

**Baking and Heart-to-Hearts**

Bella sat up in bed, her hair a tangled mess and her pajamas wrinkled. The guest bedroom she was in wasn't as large as Alice's room, but it was a comfortable size. The color scheme was blacks and grays, but the bundle of primroses and tiger lilies that stood in a tall vase on the bedside table helped brighten the room. She grabbed her bag of toiletries and slipped out of the room, taking caution to be as quiet as possible. It was seven in the morning, and the house was almost completely silent. The only notable sounds came from downstairs, and even those were minimal.

Bella took her time brushing her teeth, washing her face, and showering. She figured Alice would want to catch up on some sleep – Bella hadn't retreated to her own room until midnight, – and she didn't want to intrude on whatever Esme was doing downstairs. It wasn't that she didn't like Esme or felt uncomfortable, but she knew better than anyone that sometimes you just needed to be alone.

She twisted her dripping hair into a French braid, not caring whether or not it looked nice, and pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a purple tank top. She surveyed her reflection – she looked pretty enough – and picked up her bag before retreating from the room. In her usually clumsy manner, she stubbed her little toe on the door frame as she was leaving. Bella howled, dropped her toiletries bag, and hopped in place on one foot, clutching the other tightly in her hands.

The door across from the bathroom was suddenly thrown up. Rosalie stood in the doorway, her hair laying in beautiful, shiny curls. Her face, however, was contorted into a mask of great dislike. Her thin hand gripped the door frame so tightly that her knuckles were white. "Can you be any louder?" She growled, her eyes burning a hole straight through Bella's skull.

The brunette gulped, slowly lowering her throbbing foot. "I'm sorry, Rose. I stubbed my toe, and –"

"My name is Rosalie, not _Rose_," she hissed. Bella nodded obediently. "and you need to learn to control yourself. You stubbed your toe; you didn't get hit by a fucking semi-truck." She rolled her violet eyes, pried her hand off the door frame, and slammed the door so loudly that Bella jumped. So much for Rosalie liking her.

Bella sheepishly made her way downstairs, wondering if Rosalie's tantrum had woken anyone. From the lack of sound, Bella suspected she hadn't. Maybe Rosalie slamming doors this early in the morning was an everyday occurrence.

Bella stepped onto the first floor when she heard someone exclaim, "Good morning!" She turned to her right, where the voice had come from, and was greeted by the sight of a fully put together Esme holding a bowl of... something. She was mixing it furiously, her hand whipping away at the substance as she beamed at Bella. "Did you sleep well?"

Bella nodded as she stared curiously at the bowl. "What are you making?"

"A cake." Esme chirped cheerfully, taking her hand off the wooden spoon long enough to motion for Bella to follow her into the kitchen. Bella trailed behind her and planted herself on a stool beside the kitchen island. Esme's supplies were spread out on the island, and a fine sprinkling of flour covered nearly half of the marble surface.

"It's my own recipe." Esme elaborated, setting the bowl on the island as she searched around for something. "Want to help me?"

Bella brightened at the idea. "I'd love to! I'm actually a great cook, not to sound conceited or anything."

Esme chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with honesty. Can you bake?"

Bella shrugged. "I guess I'm good at it. I don't bake too much, though."

"Well then," Esme said, reaching for a plastic bowl and setting it in front of Bella. She grabbed a soft stick of butter and tossed it into the bowl. "I guess I'll just have to teach you a few things." Bella grinned at the proclamation, loving Esme more and more by the minute.

"I'm making the frosting?" Bella guessed, grasping a fork and slowly mashing the stick of butter. Esme nodded absently as she reached for something to the left of Bella.

"It's a cream cheese frosting." Esme told her as she added something – Bella wasn't paying enough attention to realize what it was – into the cake mix.

"Cream cheese frosting is my favorite." Bella said thoughtfully as she continued creaming the stick of butter. It gradually turned to nothing more than a smooth mass of light yellow.

"It's Alice's favorite, too." Esme said, pushing a stray strand of caramel hair out of her eyes. Bella wasn't sure how to respond, so the two spent a few minutes working on each of their projects. Esme continued adding ingredients and whipping them together, and Bella was making sure the butter was as creamy as possible.

Esme, seeing that Bella was done with the butter, handed her two packages of cream cheese. Bella unfolded them and dumped them into the plastic bowl, using the fork to blend them with the butter. "Alice really likes you." Esme said, and Bella stopped what she was doing to stare at the tiny woman. She was smiling knowingly at her bowl of cake mix.

She poured the mix into two separate cake pans and tentatively pushed them into the preheated oven. She fiddled with the timer then turned back to Bella. "I've seen her upset about other girls before and happy about ones she thought she was falling in love with. But I've never seen her like this. I can tell she's crazy about you."

Bella flushed at the statement and stared down at the mixture of cream cheese and butter. She continued beating them, though now with less vigor. She was more focused on Esme's words.

"Did she tell you about Tanya?" Esme asked, her voice suddenly curious. Bella may not have known Alice long, but she felt like she truly knew the girl. She nodded, her eyes still focused on her plastic bowl. "She was so hurt after Tanya left. Broken. I'd never seen her like that." She shook her head sadly, her eyes downcast.

"I hated seeing her that way. She's an incredible person. I wanted to help her, but she kept telling me that she was fine. She got much better as time went on, but now I can tell she's over it. She's happy again, and I have you to thank for that." A small smile played on the corner of Esme's lips, but she needn't smile to show her appreciation. It glittered in her wide eyes.

Esme noticed the heightened color in Bella's cheeks and laughed gently. "I'm embarrassing you, aren't I?"

"No," Bella said reassuringly, though she was only being polite. She _was_ embarrassed. Esme seemed to see through her lie. "Okay, a little bit." Esme laughed, pushing the stray hair out of her eyes again. Not a second later, it swung back and caught in the corner of her lip. She huffed indignantly.

"I don't even know why I bothered putting this on this morning." She said, half to Bella and half to herself. She put her fingers at the roots of her hair and wiggled until the wig finally came loose. She pulled it from her smooth scalp with a content sigh. "I'll be back in a second, Bella." She said as she made her way to her room, presumably to put away the wig.

Bella couldn't help but stare when Esme came back. It wasn't that she was trying to be rude – or even that she was transfixed by the fact that she had no hair. She couldn't take her eyes off Esme because she looked so beautiful, maybe even more so, without her thick, curly wig. Esme caught Bella's eye. She didn't seem bothered by her staring.

"I'm sorry." Bella said quickly, staring down at the thick mixture of cream cheese and butter. She assumed it was ready for the addition of sugar. "I didn't mean to stare." she explained as she fumbled around for the sugar. She could feel her face heating up again. "You're just – you're beautiful."

Esme laughed softly at Bella's words and ran her hand along her bare scalp. "I hated it at first. I'd always loved my hair. Having chunks fall out and then have it completely gone was horrifying. I thought I looked so revolting." Bella knew she was telling the truth by the sudden sadness that crept into her usually sweet voice. She had the sudden urge to tightly hug the woman but chose to stay where she was. "I've come to love it. It's liberating, really." She paused, opening the oven a crack to peek inside. "Just a few more minutes." She told Bella, all traces of depression gone. She seemed as happy as ever.

"Did Alice tell you I have breast cancer?" She asked, and Bella nodded. She was having trouble finding words around Esme. Bella had never met someone who was so open about everything. "She cut her hair to make me feel better about losing mine." Esme's eyes swam with tears as she remembered it. She laughed as she wiped away a stray tear. "I apologize. I'm a bit of a sap."

Bella grinned. "Trust me, I know how that is. I cried when Alice said she wanted to be with me." Bella's heart swelled at the memory, and Esme's smile seemed to widen. "Are you better now?" Bella asked, suddenly protective of Esme. She couldn't – or, more accurately, didn't want to – imagine a world where Esme couldn't overcome her cancer.

"I was in remission for awhile, but it came back." She explained, reaching into a cabinet and pulling out a dry measuring cup. She handed it to Bella, who took it thankfully and used it to scoop up a cup of sugar. She added it to her mixture while listening to Esme's soft voice. "After my doctor told me I relapsed, I made the decision to get a mastectomy. I need to be here for my kids. I want to see them live their lives."

"D-Did you already get it?" Bella asked cautiously. She was unsure of which questions were acceptable to ask. She didn't want to be too nosy or offend Esme.

Esme nodded, pointing to the loose blouse she wore. There was no bump where her breasts would have been. The blouse just hung loosely off her slim frame. "I got a full mastectomy. Better be safe then sorry, right?"

Bella didn't get to answer. The oven timer began beeping, and Esme hurriedly turned it off before pulling on a pair of light pink oven mitts. She grabbed the pans one at a time and set them on the counter. The smell was heavenly, and Bella had to resist the urge to openly drool. "What kind of cake is it?" She asked, not recognizing the smell or the abundance of ingredients strewn across the island.

"I said it was a recipe of my own," Esme told her as she carefully pulled the cakes from the pans. "It's banana and pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting and bits of crushed pecan sprinkled on top." That was nearly too much for Bella. Her stomach grumbled in anticipation, and her mouth salivated. She was rarely this excited about food. Esme chuckled at her reaction. "The kids all love it."

"I can understand why. It sounds delicious!"

"It is." A voice chirped from behind them, and Alice stepped into the bright kitchen, her hair flat against her head. Like it had been the night she'd first kissed Bella. It looked soft and wispy, and Bella wondered why she didn't wear it like that more often. "Then again, _everything_ Esme makes is delicious."

Esme scoffed at this, waving away Alice's compliment. "You'll eat anything, Alice."

Alice didn't protest, knowing it was true. "Your food is especially great, though." She countered, reaching forward and scraping a bit of frosting out of Bella's plastic bowl. Bella gave her a warning look, but Alice only giggled as she sucked the frosting off her index finger. "Hm," she said, tapping her glistening finger on her chin. "It's missing something."

"Vanilla extract." Bella informed her, pushing the plastic bowl as far away from Alice as she could. Alice rolled her eyes. "You can have another taste once I'm finished with it." That perked her up.

"So, what's been going on down here? Baking and talking about _moi_?" Alice asked, leaning forward in her stool. She looked even tinier than usual in her cotton tank top and short shorts. Bella tried not to stare; it wasn't polite to gawk at your girlfriend in front of her mother.

"Not everything is about you, Alice." Esme said playfully. Alice pretended to be hurt by this and grabbed at her heart, her eyes and mouth wide.

"You could've told me sooner." She chastised Esme. The older woman laughed and set the first cake on a crystal cake stand.

"Are you almost finished with the frosting, Bella?" She called over her shoulder as she made sure the first layer of cake was steady. Bella nodded, grabbed the plastic spatula from the island, and brought it and the bowl of frosting to Esme. She smiled appreciatively and took it from Bella as she began icing the first layer. "Can you bring me the crushed pecans?" She asked politely, and Bella reached for the small glass bowl on the island. She rested them on the counter beside Esme before returning to her seat.

"So, Ma, how do you like Bella?" Alice asked anxiously, sitting forward once again. "Approve or disapprove?" Her butt was on the edge of her seat as she waited for a response, wide-eyed.

Esme took a few seconds to think before responding. "I love her. Maybe even more than you."

Alice blanched while Bella choked back a giggle. She still grinned, and Alice glared at her for it. "I'd believe it if you said you loved her more than Rose, but _me_? I'm the greatest daughter a woman could wish for."

"Alice," Esme scolded, shooting a stern glance over her shoulder. Alice shrugged it off. She was only kidding about her Rosalie comment... kind of. "And I'm teasing. I love you all equally."

"Am I included in that?" Emmett's booming voice sounded from behind them as he stomped into the room. He ruffled Alice's hair affectionately, – to which she yelped in both surprise and frustration – waved to Bella, and gave Esme a kiss on the cheek.

"Of course you are!" Esme said enthusiastically, smiling at him. "You're part of the family."

"Where's Rose?" Alice asked him as Bella handed her the frosting fork. She licked it slowly, savoring the flavor. Bella flushed at the sound of Rosalie's name, remembering their encounter earlier that morning.

Emmett raised an eyebrow. "It's only eight-thirty. Rosie never gets up before ten."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I forgot that our little princess needs her beauty sleep." Alice licked her fork again before asking, "So, what was she freaking out about this morning? She woke me up when she slammed her door."

Emmett's booming laugh filled the kitchen. "Bella stubbed her toe outside of our room and made some loud, squealing noises. Rose didn't take to kindly to them. You know how she's a light sleeper." Alice nodded. "She yelled at Bella then slammed the door to get her point across, I guess. Are you okay, Bells? She didn't claw at you or anything?"

Bella's flush deepened. "I thought she was going to kill me." She said in a grave voice.

Emmett laughed again, and Alice and Esme snickered. "Aw, don't let her intimidate you, Bells!" he told her, patting her soothingly on the shoulder. "She's a bitch in the mornings."

"And the afternoons and the evenings." Alice cut in. Esme gave her a "don't talk bad about your sister" look, and Alice got quiet. Emmett bit back a laugh.

"What're we doing today?" Emmett asked, taking a seat on Bella's other side. "I want to do something fun."

"I wanted to go buy Mom some new plants for her garden." Alice said excitedly, leaning forward so she could speak to Emmett across Bella. "And I thought we could go to a karaoke bar tonight."

Esme shook her head. "Count me out!"

Emmett made a disgruntled noise. "Come on, Momma E! It wouldn't be the same without you."

Esme chortled as she finished icing the second cake. She grabbed a handful of pecans and began distributing them evenly over the surface of the two-layer cake. "I don't need to watch you drunken messes make fools of yourselves. Once was enough for this lifetime."

Emmett pouted but gave up and turned to Bella. "You in?"

Bella stared blankly. "I can't. I'm only eighteen."

"You don't have a fake ID?" Emmett asked, clearly shocked.

She scratched the back of her neck, unsure of whether to lie or be honest. "Well, I do, but – "

"Great!" Emmett roared as he slapped his hands down on the island. Bella could've sworn her stool shook. She wondered vaguely if he was ever _not_ unbelievably loud. "Then we'll go to a karaoke bar tonight."

"But –" Bella protested, but Alice put her tiny hand on her shoulder and she stopped short.

"It'll be fun." Alice promised, and Bella couldn't say no to that sweet face of hers. She sighed in resignation, and Emmett and Alice shared triumphant grins over her head.

Esme chuckled at their reaction. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, Bella."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I really wanted Esme to have a prominent role in this chapter. I love her. I don't know why, but I do. So I really hope you liked her, too. Also, I decided to have Esme have a mastectomy because I think that would be a difficult decision to make; not all women are okay with having their entire breast (both of them, actually) cut off. I wanted to show that Esme is a strong woman. I hope the lack of Alice was okay. There will be plenty of Bella/Alice cuteness in the next chapter. Speaking of which, I don't know yet which songs the characters should sing at the karaoke bar or even which characters will sing. So, send me some suggestions in your reviews! And this has nothing to do with this story or Twilight, but I recently read The Hungers Game trilogy, and I'M OBSESSED! I LOVE IT SO MUCH! I just got a District 12 Tribute shirt at Hot Topic yesterday :D *is lame*

**Songs:** "The Vision" - X-Ray Dog; "Animal" - Neon Trees


	13. Karaoke

**Author's Note: **I lied. I said I'd try to get the chapters out every other week. This has taken twice as long. I've had it written for awhile now, but it's taken me a long time to get around to editing and revising. Alas, here it is. And to make up for the wait, this is longer than the rest of the chapters - nearly 100 words shy of 4,000. Yay for extra long chapters! And I know that last chapter I said there's be three or four more chapters, but the next one will be the Epilogue. It's already written, and it saddens me to have this end so soon. But I don't want to bore everyone with the Forks stuff because Bella's loved ones consist of Charlie and Jake, and they aren't nearly as interesting as Alice's family. Plus, I don't want to write a coming out scene because I'm straight and have no experience with how one would go about telling their father they are gay, and I wouldn't want to write the scene and completely fudge it up. So I'll just skip over that. Also, Bella's loved ones will appear in the Epilogue, along with Edward, so you'll still get to see them. Now enjoy the chapter!  
**Disclaimer: **I haven't owned anything but the plot for the last eleven chapters. What makes you think I'd have ownership now?

* * *

**Karaoke**

Bella sat impatiently in Rosalie's vanity chair, fidgeting every few seconds. She'd been sitting there for nearly thirty minutes, and Rosalie was only halfway done with her hair. The blond wrapped a thin piece of hair around the curling iron and held it close to Bella's scalp, waiting for the hair to take shape. Bella twitched again. The barrel came in contact with her scalp and she hissed, instinctively pulling away from it. That cause Rosalie to fall forward and narrowly miss burning her chest on the scalding iron.

"Will you calm down?" Rosalie screeched, disentangling the curling iron and brushing through the now ruined curl. She huffed and puffed and mumbled to herself as she wrapped the curl around the barrell again. She tapped her foot in an annoyed manner as she counted to thirty, then let the curl fall loosely against Bella's back. Bella sat straight in the seat the rest of the time for fear of, 1. burning her scalp, and 2. pissing off Rosalie.

"There." Rosalie said twenty minutes later, shielding Bella's eyes with her thin hand as she sprayed a fine layer of hairspray onto her chocolate brown curls. She stood back and surveyed the girl, her lips pursed. "You look lovely." She still sounded angry, but the compliment was sincere.

Bella smiled the tiniest bit as she stared at her reflection. She _did _look lovely. She absentmindedly fingered a curl as Rosalie fiddled with the makeup on the vanity. "Not too much makeup, please." Bella said in a timid voice. All she could think of was the way Rosalie had yelled at her that morning and slammed a door in her face. That Rosalie and the one who yelled at her for sporadically convulsing were one in the same, but this Rosalie – the one who complimented others and offered to do their hair and makeup for them – was quite different. Bella could actually come to like this Rosalie.

"I'm going to do a pale pink lip," Rosalie said, bending down to Bella's height and signaling for her to purse her lips. "I think it will contrast with your dark hair and eyes." She rubbed the lipstick along Bella's pouty bottom lip then the top before applying a shiny lip gloss.

"Perfect!" Rosalie tossed the lipstick and lip gloss tubes over her shoulder, literally, seemingly indifferent to where they landed. She rummaged through a small drawer and pulled out a container of gold eyeshadow with a triumphant "aha!" She motioned for Bella to close her eyes before twisting off the lid. She kept her hand steady as she applied a minimal layer to Bella's eyelids with her index finger. "You have really bad dark shadows underneath your eyes." So much for offering up compliments.

"Can't you use concealer to get rid of them?"

"I can."

A pause. "Are you going to?"

Rosalie snorted. "Of course, genius. I can't let you leave the house looking like a zombie." Though her words seemed harsh, her voice was teasing. Bella opened her eyes and caught the shadow of a smirk on the beauty's face. Bella could _definitely_ befriend this side of Rosalie. "Who said you could open you eyes?" She snapped, her eyebrows knitting together. "Close them! I need to do your eyeliner."

Bella listened obediently.

Rosalie finished with Bella's makeup and stared down at the girl happily, her body blocking Bella's view of herself in the mirror. "I think you look perfect." Rosalie said as she came to stand behind Bella. The brunette couldn't help but agree. Her makeup and hair was absolutely flawless. She looked like a starlet.

"You're amazing at makeovers." Bella commented, running her finger along her rigid eyelashes. She never wore much makeup due to her lack of interest in her physical appearance, but she couldn't deny how pretty she looked with it on.

Rosalie snickered at her reaction. "What did you think, I'd turn you into Ronald McDonald? I_ am_ a model. I know how to accentuate a woman's beauty." She paused for a moment, smiling at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, pin straight and golden. Her eyes had nothing but mascara and her cheeks were void of anything other an foundation. Her lips were a glossy, blood red. They made her teeth look that much whiter.

"Now on to finding you something to wear..." Rose tapped her chin thoughtfully as she walked to her closet, pulling open the double doors. She bustled around in her closet for a few minutes before coming back and tossing a dozen options onto her black and white striped comforter. "You have to try on some of these."

Bella wasn't sure what to wear and didn't care much about it anyway. Rosalie's appearance, however, told her that _she _greatly cared and wouldn't let Bella get away with a t-shirt and jeans. The blond wore a sheer, short-sleeved gray top with a swoop neck and tiny fabric flowers pinned to the front. It was tucked into a pair of high-waisted, black leather micro-shorts. She paired it with black peep-toe pumps. There wasn't a doubt in Bella's mind that the girl would attract the eye of every person in the bar.

Rosalie held up a lavender v-neck with short, pleated sleeves. Bella, turning to see the more wild items strewn across the mattress, leaped up and yanked the shirt out of Rosalie's grasp. "I love it!" She proclaimed, throwing off her shirt as Rosalie rolled her eyes and sorted through the clothes on the bed. The knit top embraced Bella's body like a second skin, accentuating her average size chest and waist.

Rosalie nodded approvingly. "I like it. Now put on these." Rosalie threw a pair of skinny jeans at her. Bella noticed that they were her own, the pair that she'd worn the day she met Alice. She wondered how she still remembered what she'd worn that day as she tugged them over her slim hips. Bella thought the outfit looked stunning, her dark hair raining down her back and shoulders in gentle curls. "Put these on." Rosalie said cheerfully, her hands closed around a pair of knee-high leather boots. Bella went to shake her head, but the severe look on Rosalie's face made her think otherwise.

After struggling to get the boots on, Bella stared at her reflection in Rosalie's full length mirror. She began to wonder why she didn't put effort into her appearance more often. If Rosalie had turned her from a plain Jane to a super model in the matter of an hour then what could Bella do herself with an entire morning? She'd have to remember to ask Rosalie for some makeup tips.

"Thoughts?" Rose asked, sitting on the edge of her bed, her legs crossed elegantly. Her leather shorts rode up dangerously high on her creamy white thighs.

"You're the Da Vinci of makeovers."

Rosalie _giggled_. Rosalie Brandon, frigid bitch extraordinaire, leaned forward the tiniest bit, covered her mouth with a delicate hand, and _giggled_. Bella wondered if her jaw made a noise when it made contact with the floor. Rosalie giggled again at Bella's confused expression. "What?" she questioned.

"You giggled." Bella knew this needed no further explanation.

Rosalie teetered at Bella's comment. Not allowing the brunette even a minute to recover from her previous shock, Rosalie stated, "I like you."

Bella hadn't realized her eyebrows could go up that high. "You... you like me?" She wondered if she had heard the girl wrong. But what else could she have said? _I spike you_? _I bike you_? _I hike you_? What the hell did any of those even mean? She had to have said what Bella thought she said.

"Rosalie. Likes. Bella." She said slowly as if she were speaking to a child. "Comprende?" Bella nodded mutely, blinking more than she needed to. It was a nervous habit. Rosalie rolled her eyes, uncrossed her lean legs, and stood. "Come on. We need to go get Ali." She grabbed Bella's wrist in her warm hand and dragged her down the hall.

Rosalie burst through Alice's bedroom door without knocking, Bella close behind. Her hand was like a shackle, effectively keeping Bella beside her. "Alice!" Rose shouted in a singsong voice, dropping Bella's wrist and rushing to her sister's side.

Alice stood in front of her mirror, applying a layer of lipstick. She wore a tight-fitted, strapless black dress with blue and gray flowers seemingly painted on the fabric. A thin black belt cinched in her tiny waist. Her feet were encased in a pair of black ballet flats. The way the dress hugged her body and brought out her impossibly beautiful ocean eyes made Bella's lips twitch. And her hair. It looked so soft and feminine as it curled around her ears and fell into her wide eyes. She'd chosen to wear it natural, just the way Bella liked it.

Alice grinned at Rose and struck a dramatic pose. Rosalie followed suit. "We look hot." Alice muttered in a matter of fact tone. "You too, Bella." Alice peeked around Rosalie's towering form and beamed at her girlfriend. Bella's outfit may have been significantly tamer than Alice's or Rosalie's, but it still complimented her wonderfully.

Rosalie rolled her violet eyes. "Enough eye sex, you two. We have to hit the road." She skipped out of the room and Alice and Bella trailed behind, their hands intertwined.

XxXxXxXxX

_'Cause I'm just a girl, oh little ol' me  
__Well don't let me out of your sight  
__Oh, I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite  
__So don't let me have any rights  
__Oh... I've had it up to here_

Rosalie strutted across the bar's stage, her heels making the faintest of clicks. Her body moved fluidly, and she shook her head every so often, causing her ponytail to swish around behind her. She had the crowd under her spell; they drank in her every movement and hung on her every word. Bella thought that Rose could give Gwen Stefani a run for her money.

She finished the song, her eyes focused on Emmett as she grinned. The crowd burst into a round of applause, but none were as exuberant as Emmett. He whooped and hollered and pulled her into a passionate kiss when she sat down at their small table. She pushed him away playfully, giggling. Bella still wasn't used to that sound coming from such a seemingly harsh girl.

"Your turn!" Emmett bellowed, his eyes fixed on Bella. Her face paled. There was no way in hell she was embarrassing herself up there. Emmett must have seen her reluctance and gave her an encouraging push that nearly made her topple over.

Bella turned to him and planned to protest, but Alice saved her from the trouble. "Nuh-uh. It's my turn, Em." Bella sighed in relief as her girlfriend pushed off her chair and strutted toward the stage. After a minute of picking a song and getting it set up, the song started and Alice's pretty voice filled the chatty bar.

_You think I'm pretty without any make-up on  
__You think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong  
__I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down_

_Before you met me, I was a wreck  
__But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life  
__Now every February you'll be my Valentine, Valentine_

Alice kept her eyes fixed on Bella as she sang, her performance much different than Rosalie's. She swayed her hips and shoulders as she sang and moved her arms a bit, but she focused more on the song than her sex appeal.

_Let's go all the way tonight  
__No regrets, just love  
__We can dance until we die  
__You and I, we'll be young forever_

_You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream  
__The way you turn me on, I can't sleep  
__Let's run away and don't ever look back  
__Don't ever look back_

Alice continued through the song, a smile on her face the whole way through. Little shivers ran along Bella's spine as Alice belted out the lyrics, putting Katy Perry's version to absolute shame. Not only was Alice's voice eons better than the original singer, but her words held an undeniable emotion that Katy lacked.

_I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans  
__Be your teenage dream tonight  
__Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans  
__Be your teenage dream tonight_

The song came to a close, and those in the bar who had paid attention applauded. Alice hopped off the stage and rushed over to their table. Emmett jokingly bowed to her, and she rolled her eyes, though her cheeks were flushed with pleasure. Bella, unable to resist, stood up and launched herself at Alice, wrapping the tinier girl in her arms and planting a close-mouthed kiss on her plump lips. Alice squealed and jokingly pushed Bella off her.

"You're beautiful." Bella told her truthfully. Her face was beautiful, her body was beautiful, her voice was beautiful, her laugh was beautiful, her personality was beautiful – she was just so damn beautiful in every possible way. Bella found it hard to believe that someone so incredible could want her. She wasn't special; she was just a small town girl with a plain personality and too much time on her hands. Alice was so lively and loud and outgoing. Maybe that was why they worked so well. They complimented one another.

Alice leaned forward and kissed the tip of Bella's nose. Emmett cleared his throat.

"Enough of this. It's time for Bells to go sing." he proclaimed, and Rosalie and Jasper agreed with him, albeit half-heartedly. Bella turned to Alice for salvation, but the girl shrugged her slim shoulders. She sighed and stomped her way to the stage, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks as she did so.

She curled her fingers around the cheap microphone the bar provided, as the song she chose began. She pinpointed Alice in the crowd and immediately relaxed. She knew that she'd be able to get through this if she kept her eyes on her girlfriend. Alice calmed her nerves.

_When I was younger, I saw my daddy cry  
__And curse at the wind  
__He broke his own heart and I watched  
__As he tried to reassemble it_

_And my mama swore that  
__She would never let herself forget  
__And that was the day that I promised  
__I'd never sing of love if it did not exist_

Bella took a calming breath as she started the chorus, hoping that her vocal range was impressive enough to hit some of the lower notes. She thought she was only doing an okay job up to that point, but the expression on Alice's face made her think otherwise. She was practically swooning, her chin resting in her perfectly manicured hands.

_But darling, you are the only exception  
__You are the only exception  
__You are the only exception  
__You are the only exception_

Bella managed to make it through the next minute without her voice cracking. And then she came to bridge. She sucked in a deep breath.

_I've got a tight grip on reality  
__But I can't let go of what's in front of me here  
__I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up  
__Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream, oh_

She finished the song and stepped off the stage, proud that she hadn't blatantly embarrassed herself. The crowd seemed to enjoy it; they clapped loudly as she made her way to their table. Unlike Bella, Alice remained in her seat as her girlfriend returned. Bella took her seat beside Alice, and the pixie immediately grasped her hand and ran her thumb along Bella's knuckles. She flashed her a stunning smile and turned to her brother, pleading with him to sing. "Come on, Jazz. For me."

He refused and sat back while others succeeded and failed on stage. Emmett kept the drinks coming, and Rosalie and Alice drank them without question. Jasper and Bella, however, opted out. Jasper was the designated driver, and Bella just didn't like the taste of alcohol or her reaction to too much of it.

By the time Jasper shuffled to the stage, Alice's sobriety was long gone. She whooped loudly and giggled as Jasper grabbed the mic and cleared his throat. The soothing melody of the song echoed throughout the bar, and Alice glared at Jasper as he began to sing.

_Well you done done me and you bet I felt it  
__I tried to be chill, but you're so hot that I melted  
__I fell right through the cracks, now I'm tyrin' to get back_

_Before the cool done run out I'll be givin' it my bestest  
__And nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention  
__I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some_

_But I won't hesitate no more, no more  
__It cannot wait, I'm yours_

"What's the matter?" Bella questioned as Jasper's smooth voice filled the room. He had one of those natural, carefree voices that could fit nearly any style of music.

"The song." Alice said, her nose wrinkling. "The ass could've chosen something more exciting." She glared for a few more seconds, then caved in and started swaying to the beat of the music. "His voice is amazing, though." Bella couldn't help but agree.

_I've been spendin' way too long checkin' my tongue in the mirror  
__And bendin' over backwards just to try to see it clearer  
__But my breath fogged up the glass  
__And so I drew a new face and I laughed_

The song ended far too early for the bar's liking, and they all showed their appreciation. Alice shot out of her chair and yelled and clapped and smiled so widely that Bella thought her cheeks might crack. She was an easily excitable drunk.

Before long Emmett began stumbling his way to the microphone, but Jasper held him back for fear that he'd puke all over the stage. So the five of them made their way into the cool summer air. Alice blabbered about the magnificent invention known as karaoke while Rosalie agreed vehemently. Emmett leaned against Jasper for support because he'd drunk more than was necessary and couldn't walk straight.

The drunken trio were shoved in the back of the car, and Bella and Jasper sat up front. Jasper left the radio off as he drove to Esme's, and Bella rested her head against the window, utterly exhausted. She wondered if Jasper had earplugs to drown out the other occupants of the car.

"Hey, turn on some music." Alice shouted in Jasper's ear. He didn't even flinch. He was accustomed to his siblings' drunken behavior. "Preferably Lady Gaga." she added as an afterthought, and she hovered between his and Bella's seat until he obliged.

The infectious pop beat blasted through the speakers, and Alice bounced around in the back. Rosalie complained that the music was too loud and snuggled into Emmett's chest as Alice did a dance strikingly similar to the one in the music video. Bella wondered absentmindedly if Alice had memorized the whole thing.

Alice sang along at the top of her lungs the whole twenty minute drive home and made them stay in the car till her favorite Lady Gaga song was finished. Once the last note had played, she'd given them her blessing to help her out and lead her to the house. Rosalie and Emmett were both overly tired and slowly made their way to their room, their eyes barely open. Jasper yawned a goodnight and disappeared. Alice, on the other hand, was a little ball of energy.

She grabbed Bella's hand and dragged her towards her bedroom. She threw open the door and slammed it behind her, her lips curled in a wide grin. Bella went to say something, but Alice's lips smashed against hers, cutting her off. Part of her wanted to push Alice away so she could say what she'd planned on saying, but Alice's lips had distracted her and she could no longer follow her previous train of thought.

Alice shoved Bella down on the soft bed, making sure their lips never separated. She swung her right leg over Bella's waist and straddled her before disentangling her hands from Bella's hair. She sucked the brunette's bottom lip between her teeth then pulled away, tugging at the zipper on her dress. She managed to unzip it and push it down to her waist before Bella registered what Alice was doing.

"Woah, woah, woah." Bella said, moving Alice a bit so she could sit up as well. Alice looked about ready to devour her, her lacy strapless bra slipping precariously down her chest. Bella made sure to stare only at Alice's face, no matter how tempted she was to look elsewhere. "We are not doing this now."

Alice huffed. "But I want to."

"But you're drunk."

Alice's bottom lip quivered. "You hate me."

Bella rolled her eyes, knowing Alice was only using the you-hate-me card to get her to cave in. "I don't hate you. Trust me, I really don't. I just feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

Alice hands danced along the hem of Bella's sweater, a cheeky grin lighting up her face. "Don't feel like that, Bella. I'm most definitely willing."

"That's not the point. You're drunk. We're not doing this when you're drunk."

Alice complained for a minute or two before climbing off Bella and sitting at the edge of the bed. "I guess I should go to bed now." She told her, and Bella agreed. They kissed goodnight, and Bella made her way toward the door before Alice's voice stopped her. "We're leaving for Forks tomorrow, right?"

Bella's stomach leaped into her throat. "Uh, yeah. Right. That should be exciting."

Alice caught the sarcasm in her voice. "What is it? Do you not want to go to Forks? I want to. I can't wait to meet your friends and your dad."

"Well, it's going to be complicated introducing you to Charlie."

"Why?" Alice was practically bouncing in place, curious as to why the Forks trip would be complicated instead of fun.

"Last time I saw him, I was in a committed heterosexual relationship."

Alice's face fell. "Oh. You think he'll hate me."

"No!" Bella nearly shouted, rushing forward to rest her hands on Alice's shoulders. "Of course not. No one could hate you." Alice's lip quirked up at that. "But I think it'll take him by surprise."

Alice nodded in understanding before rubbing her eyes. "It'll be fine. No man is impervious to my charms." Alice giggled at her own joke, and Bella rolled her eyes before leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. "Buona notte, caro mia." Alice whispered.

"Sweet dreams."

* * *

A/N: There it is. The last chapter before the Epilogue. I hope you all enjoyed it. It was quite amusing to write about drunk-overenthusiastic-slutty Alice! Now please go review 'cause your constructive criticism keeps me going.

**Songs: **

**Rosalie's song:** "Just A Girl" - No Doubt,  
**Alice's song**: "Teeange Dream" - Katy Perry,  
**Bella's song: **"The Only Exception" - Paramore,  
**Jasper's song: **"I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz,  
**Lady Gaga song Alice dances to:** "Bad Romance,"  
**Alice's favorite Lady Gaga song:** "Paparazzi"

Thank you for all of the wonderful song suggestions! Don't be upset if I didn't use yours. Some of them just didn't quite fit what I was trying to capture. I seriously love all of the songs you suggested though, some of which I hadn't heard. So thank you for introducing me to new epicness.

On a side note, "Buona notte, caro mia." means "Good night, my dear." And I think "mia" would be the feminine way of saying it. If I'm wrong, please let me know and I'll change it.


	14. Epilogue

**Author's Note: **A few quick announcements, here. One, last chapter I neglected to mention that the clothes the girls wore to the karaoke bar are on my profile. Two, I have a twitter. Yay! It's worriedshoes014, same as my FFn name, for those who are interested in contacting me. I'll post info on my new story, updates on how NaNoWriMo is going along, and snippets from upcoming chapters of my new story (which I should start posting in December). And I'll also be a fangirl about many things, so you've been warned. I love talking to all of you, though, so follow me and feel free to tweet me. I love every single one of my readers. Three, I had a disappointing amount of reviews last chapter, and a disappointing amount of hits :( That made me kind of sad. Last chapter had lower numbers than my Author's Note chapter, which is pretty depressing. So remember to read and click that pretty little review button. But at least read. Four, this is the Epilogue. Last chapter. Enjoy. **(Longer, more heartfelt author's note at the end of the chapter, FYI.)  
A/N 2: **To those of you who noticed the wrong Epilogue for All Is Love was posted - I don't even know what happened with that. I clicked to upload the file "All is Love Epilogue" for the chapter. It's alphabetical order, so a few other All Is Love chapters appear beneath it. Then I have a Hunger Games fanfic called "Home" in my Document Manager. Apparently FFn uploaded Home instead of the Epilogue. It didn't spazz out or anything, and it said it was uploading the Epilogue. Failure on your part, FFn. So, now that that *facepalm* moment is over with, here's the REAL epilogue.  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the character's in this fanfic, with the exception of Summer Nikolic, George Nikolic, and the diner called Djoko's. The plot, descriptions, and dialogue come from my head, and some were influenced by people in my life. Most of the character names and descriptions belong to Stephenie Meyer, but I have taken creative liberty with them.

* * *

**Epilogue**

**One Year Later**

Bella Swan dragged her luggage behind her as she made her way through Seattle Tacoma International Airport. People buzzed around her as they made their way to their gate or toward their loved ones. She looked around for a familiar head of tousled black hair but saw no one that matched the image in her head. She frowned, digging in her back pocket for the expensive cell phone her girlfriend had bought her for Christmas. She'd also gotten Bella tons of new clothing and a set of lacy lingerie that Esme had pretended not to see when they were opening their presents.

She had one new text message. She hit open and the text popped up. "I've been waiting outside for 20 min. Where are you?" it read. The sender was the person she'd been looking for. Alice Brandon.

Bella shoved the phone into her pocket and carted all of her luggage to the entrance. The doors slid open as she moved along, and she searched around her for her tiny girlfriend. Before she knew what was happening, a body jumped – literally _jumped_ – into her arms and clung to her for dear life. Bella dropped the luggage she'd been carrying and pulled away from the person to get a clear view of who it was. All she could make out was a mess of ebony hair and pale skin. Alice.

"Oh, I've missed you so much." Alice cooed, her arms wrapping around Bella's neck and her legs circling her waist. "I haven't seen you in four and a half months."

Alice dug her face out of the crook of Bella's neck to lean forward and capture the brunette's lips. They stood there for a few seconds, holding each other and kissing, before a catcall pulled them out of their own little world. "Assholes." Alice growled at the group of young guys who'd been leering at them. She disentangled herself from her girlfriend and pointed towards Emmett's black Mercedes, which was only a few feet away.

"I still haven't gotten a new car, so Emmett said I could borrow his. But he was too lazy to come with and apparently doesn't trust me driving his baby – something about me not thinking twice about leaving my Porsche on the side of an Interstate, – so Jasper drove." Alice explained as she encased Bella's hand with her own and led the girl to the sleek sports car. "And since Jasper was coming with, Summer just _had_ to invite herself along."

The accused stuck her head out of the open passenger door. "If I remember correctly, you asked me to come along, Alice." Summer reminded her. Alice waved her off.

"I'm sitting in the passenger seat because I get nauseous sitting in the back," Alice informed Bella, "so you'll sit back there with Summer. You don't mind, do you?"

Bella shook her head and slid in next to Summer. Bella had always liked Summer and had come to enjoy her company more and more as Summer's presence in the Brandon household became more frequent. She wasn't much of a talker, but when she did speak, she had a way of making every syllable sound important. Maybe it was her husky voice or the way each word rolled naturally off her tongue. Whatever it was it made her infinitely intriguing. Bella could understand why Jasper had fallen so quickly for her.

Summer gave her a soft smile before turning back to the sketchbook that rested in her lap. She was drawing a picture of Alice and Jasper talking. It was a view from where Summer sat, and you could just make out the siblings' silhouettes as Alice told an animated story. Jasper peeked at her from the corner of his eye, hanging on to every word. Her hands were moving in the air as she spoke, and his lips were turned upward at the corners as his body leaned toward her just the slightest bit. The picture captured the pure camaraderie between the two.

"Do you like?" Summer asked meekly, having caught Bella staring.

"It's beautiful."

Summer didn't thank her for the compliment or even react as if she'd heard it. She just stared thoughtfully at the drawing, rubbing her finger along the curve of Jasper's neck to give it a more defined shadow.

Bella stared out the window as Alice switched on the radio. The ride to the Brandon household was relatively short, and before Bella knew it they were pulling into a familiar driveway. Bella's heart twinged as she took in the white exterior and light blue shutters. She'd only been there a couple of times, but it felt like home.

Jasper turned off the car and stepped out, pulling his seat forward so Bella could wiggle her way out. He held out his hand like the gentleman he was and helped her gain her balance. Alice skipped to Bella and clutched the brunette's thin arm in her tiny hands. "Esme's so excited to see you!" She squealed, dragging her toward the porch.

The door swung open with a loud bang, and Emmett rushed out, pulling Bella into a back-breaking embrace. He lifted her straight off the ground, her feet dangling uselessly beneath her. "Bells!" He shouted jovially. "I haven't seen you in ages." Bella wheezed out a response as she struggled in Emmett's grasp. He saw her expression and immediately put her down, allowing her to take a much needed breath of air.

Rosalie pushed her way past Emmett. Bella had gotten used to flipping open the glossy pages of a magazine and seeing Rosalie's beautiful form clothed luxuriously. It seemed like her high profile modeling career had blossomed over night. But no matter how gorgeous Rosalie looked in print, nothing compared to her in person. Rose leaned forward and pressed her glossy lips to Bella's cheek. She didn't say anything to the girl but offered her a friendly smile before moving on to her siblings. Bella made sure Rosalie wasn't looking and wiped the remnants of her lip gloss off her cheek.

Esme was the last to greet her. She gave Bella a gentle hug that only a true mother could perfect. She pushed away from the girl, her arms still on her shoulders, to get a good look at her physique. "You've put on weight!" She announced cheerfully. Bella flushed. "Oh, don't be embarrassed. That's a good thing. You were looking underweight the last time I saw you."

Bella could say the same for Esme. She looked healthy and glowing. Her eyelids and shoulders no longer drooped from lack of sleep. Her caramel hair – the exact shade of her wig – was almost to her chin now. She'd been in remission for months and was so excited to have her hair real hair back. Esme had given Alice permission to grow her hair out again, but both Alice and Bella had come to love the short hairdo.

Esme planted a soft kiss on Bella's forehead before turning to Summer and enveloping her in a tight embrace. Emmett, noticing Bella standing alone, clapped her affectionately on the shoulder. "Good to see you, Bells."

"You, too, Em." She said truthfully, grinning up at his massive form. His expression mirrored her own.

"Alice said you two are staying in Forks for the next two weeks but that you wanted to stop by here first. Why not just drive straight to Forks?"

Bella shrugged. "I haven't seen you all in awhile. I've missed the Brandon family."

Emmett draped his muscular arm over her shoulder and ruffled her hair in a brotherly way. "We've missed you, too, Bells! Glad we could have this little family reunion before you and Ali run off." Bella nodded, only half listening. Her eyes were trained on Alice, who was giggling with Rosalie. "So, have you seen Bullet?" No response. "Bella? Hello? Bella?"

"Hmm?" She asked, coming out of her trance. She couldn't remember what he'd asked her, but apparently it was important enough to warrant an answer. "Sorry, I wasn't listening."

He rolled his eyes, a dopey smile still plastered on his face. "Obviously. But I asked if you saw my new movie yet, Bullet?"

Bella had seen the trailers for it and had promised Emmett she'd be the first in line to see it, but school and packing had gotten in the way. She scratched her next awkwardly. "Well, I was planning to..."

He grinned and ruffled her hair again. "It's fine. But I'm making you watch it when it's out on DVD."

"Fine by me, Emmett."

"Emmett!" Alice screeched, making her way over to the pair. "Lay off my girlfriend. We have to get going if we want to get to Forks before night fall."

Good-byes took a good ten minutes, but before long the pair were driving toward Forks, Washington in Esme's hybrid. They held hands the whole ride as Alice sang along to the radio and Bella rested her head on the closed window. The plane ride from New Hampshire to Washington had been long and exhausting. It almost made her regret going to Dartmouth.

Alice claimed she didn't mind the distance between them. There were other ways to communicate without actually seeing each other. They'd used Skype, Facebook, texting, phone calls. Practically everything. Alice was always sending Bella pictures of new clothing she'd designed while Bella kept her posted on the wonders of med school.

Bella had completed a successful first year of pediatric schooling at Dartmouth Medical School. She had a long ways to go if she was going to succeed as a pediatrician, but she didn't mind the schooling. She hadn't made many friends – with the exception of Angela, her roommate, – which left her with lots of studying time. Her grades were high and her future as a pediatrician looked bright. And her girlfriend was one hundred percent supportive. That helped, too.

Bella must have drifted off because the next time she opened her eyes, the sky was dark and twinkling with stars. It reminded her of the night she, Alice, and Jasper had laid out and watched the constellations. She sighed happily at the memory.

"You're awake?" Alice whispered, taking her eyes off the road for a second to peek at her girlfriend. Bella nodded. "Welcome back, sleepy head. You slept for a good three hours. We're almost to your house."

Bella shot up in her seat at that. She hurriedly pressed down her hair, which Emmett had expertly destroyed with his ruffling, and wiped off the perspiration that had collected at her hairline. Alice shot her an inquisitive look. "Charlie's throwing me a little 'Welcome Home' party." Bella explained. "It was supposed to be a surprise, but Jake gave me a heads up. He knows how much I hate surprises."

Alice scowled at that, a small crease forming between her eyes. "Why would he ruin the surprise? Charlie and I have been planning this for a month."

"What?" Bella asked, genuinely shocked.

Alice bit her bottom lip. "Charlie told me he wanted to have a little get together when we came to visit, and he asked me for advice. I ordered some decorations online and gave him helpful tips. It's nothing major, Bella." Her lips curled back, revealing a set of perfect white teeth. "Jacob should have kept his mouth shut."

Bella rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Alice. All I know is that a party's going on."

Alice's eyebrows raised at that. "Really? You don't know any specifics?" Bella shook her head. This seemed to please Alice. "Good. I'd tear his head off if he spoiled anything else." Bella's eyes widened. Alice had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry. I just really like parties."

Bella chuckled, relaxing back in her seat as they turned onto her street. "I can tell."

Charlie Swan's house was a modest one. It was two levels and appropriately sized for a single father and his teenage daughter who visited on occasion. Bella leaped out of the Esme's SUV once Alice parked and made her way up the worn path leading to the front door. The lights in the kitchen and living room burst through the curtains and cast a soft glow on the grass in the front yard. Bella knocked tentatively as Alice appeared behind her. Bella reached for Alice's hand as the door flew open.

Bella's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. She'd expected Charlie to answer the door. Not _him_. "Surprise." He said in his smooth voice as he flashed her his signature grin.

"Edward!" She shouted, launching herself at him. He caught her effortlessly in his arms and chuckled softly as his arms wrapped around her waist. She could make out Alice's voice greeting everyone, but she was too excited to see Edward to pay her girlfriend any attention.

She hadn't seen Edward since before the breakup. It had been over a year. They'd kept in touch and talked on the phone regularly, but it was so much nicer having him there, in the flesh. Bella loosened her vice-like grip and beamed at his disheveled bronze hair and emerald eyes. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you, too, love." Bella wondered if she should have felt uncomfortable by his use of the term of endearment, but she didn't. He'd used it when they were just friends, so why should he suddenly stop using it now? She wanted to talk to him more, but he motioned to the other people crowding Charlie's living room and she was swept into a whirlwind of greetings and introductions.

Her best friend Jake was there, and he'd brought along his La Push buddies, Embry and Quil. Jake's father Billy was there as well, though Bella imagined he came along for Charlie more than for her. Edward's father Carlisle was there as well, which both surprised and excited Bella. He'd always been like a second father to her.

There was a Welcome Home, Bella banner hung on the back wall of their living room, and streamers and balloons seemed to cover every surface. Cans of pop and beer were set up in an intricate display on a small card table beside bowls of punch, chips, and pretzels. Napkins were fanned out in each corner, each one a different color of the rainbow. So this had been what Alice meant when she said she order stuff online.

The night went by far too quickly. Bella talked with Carlisle and Edward about the medical field – Carlisle was a doctor and Edward was studying psychiatry. She caught up with Jake, who had brought along photo albums of the two of them as toddlers as punishment for not visiting him while she was in Forks on spring break. Quil and Embry teased Bella and Jake mercilessly about the time Jake had had a raging crush on her. Alice stayed by Bella's side the whole night, reveling in the tight bond Bella had with everyone there; though, she broke away once to chastise Jake for ruining the surprise. And Charlie split his time between talking to Billy, watching the baseball game on TV, and watching Bella converse with her loved ones.

Billy, Jake, Quil, and Embry filed out at eleven with promises to visit sometime soon. Charlie and Carlisle talked in the corner, though Bella couldn't make out what they were saying. Edward had challenged Alice to a round of chess, which had, at some point, turned into a staring match. Neither backed down as their pieces weaved around the board with carefully planned movements.

Bella was surprised that Alice and Edward were getting along so well. Her ex-boyfriend and her current girlfriend. It was strange seeing them so comfortable with one another, but she was just pleased they weren't at each other's throats.

She retreated to the kitchen to grab a garbage bag and began whizzing around the room, picking up pop and beer cans, messy paper plates, crumpled up napkins, fallen streamers, and popped balloons. Once she thought the living room was sufficiently cleared up, she tied the bag and went to throw it out back. When she returned to the living room, Alice was glaring at Edward.

"Don't be a sore loser, Alice." He told her as he smiled at the board triumphantly.

"I'm not being a sore loser. I just think you cheated." She huffed, but there was a hint of a smirk on her pink lips. "I demand a rematch."

"Are you kidding? That match took us an hour to complete. Me and my dad have to go soon."

Alice frowned. "Why so soon?"

Edward pointed to the clock. "It's past midnight."

"Oh." Alice mumbled in understanding. She pushed away from the table and skipped over to Bella. Edward trailed behind her. "Where am I staying?" She asked. "I want to bring my bags in."

"We're both staying in my room." Bella told her, and she watched Alice's eyes light up with possibilities. Her face flushed. "It's up the stairs, to the right, at the end of the hall."

"I can help you bring your stuff in." Edward offered politely. Alice beamed at him and grabbed his hand, dragging him to the SUV.

Edward and Carlisle left to their hotel shortly after, telling Bella they'd stop by early for breakfast. She promised to make blueberry pancakes, which made them both grin. Blueberry pancakes were a Cullen family favorite.

Charlie went to bed a few minutes after the Cullens left, but Alice and Bella stayed behind to take care of the small amount of mess that was left behind. Most of it had been cleared away by Bella earlier, but a few plastic cups and pieces of balloon were scattered around the room. It didn't take much time for them to tidy up, and the pair slowly made their way upstairs. Bella was even more exhausted than she'd been earlier, but Alice was still buzzing with excitement.

Alice closed the door to Bella's room behind them and clicked the lock. The room was dark, lit only by the sliver of moonlight that shone through the window. Alice reached into her pocket and pulled out a packet of matches, flipping it open and striking one. She moved around the room, lighting vanilla candles that had been scattered there. They sizzled softly in the quiet of Bella's room. "When did you set this up?" Bella questioned.

"When Edward and I brought up my bags." All of the candles were lit, and Alice tossed the pack of matches on Bella's bedside table with a content sigh. She sauntered toward Bella, reaching forward to cup the taller girl's face in her small hands. "I've missed you." Alice purred, leaning on her tiptoes to cover Bella's lips with her own.

They stood like that for a few minutes – Alice's hands in Bella's hair, Bella's hands toying with the bottom of Alice's shirt, their lips moving desperately against each other. They only pulled away long enough to take much needed breaths of air.

Alice sat Bella down in the middle of her bed and climbed onto her lap, continuing their kissing. Alice's hands disentangled themselves from Bella's hair and tugged at the buttons on her shirt. "I love you." She murmured in her girlfriend's ear as the first button came loose. The rest soon followed.

Alice tossed the shirt carelessly on the floor before staring down at Bella's torso. A wicked grin spread across her face. "You're wearing the lingerie I bought you for Christmas?"

A blush spread from Bella's stomach to the tips of her ears. "I figured you'd appreciate me wearing it."

Alice leaned in and pecked her on the lips. "I do." she said breathlessly before kissing her way down Bella's neck.

The brunette cleared her throat, hoping to catch Alice's attention, but the girl was too busy showering Bella's body with kisses. "Alice." She hissed. Alice's tiny face turned upward, her blue eyes wide.

"What?" She whispered.

"Charlie's just done the hall from us."

"And?"

"And this isn't the time or place."

"So? Your dad worships the ground I walk on. If he happens to hear me seducing his daughter, which I doubt he will over the sound of his snoring, he'll just ignore it. Not to mention that he'd be too embarrassed to bring it up."

Bella remained stubborn and gently pushed Alice away. "Just not tonight, Alice."

"You always stop things when they start getting good." she huffed, tugging the covers down Bella's bed and snuggling inside their warmth. Bella giggled at her expression and blew out all of the candles before crawling in beside Alice.

Their faces were close on their shared pillow. The tip of Alice's nose just barely grazed Bella's. Bella could feel her hot breath on her face. "I love you." Bella whispered. Alice leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on Bella's nose.

"I love you, too, Bella."

They laid like that for a bit, just staring into the other's eyes. Alice broke the silence first.

"Do you realize that if my car never broke down, I'd have never met you?"

Bella shook her head, a strand of hair falling into her chocolate brown eyes. Alice pushed it away tenderly. "I don't buy it. Certain things are meant to be, certain people are meant to meet. I can't imagine never having you in my life, Alice."

Alice's smile lit up her face and the corners of her eyes crinkled from the force of her smile. "I can't imagine it either. I don't think my family could either, come to think of it. Sometimes I think they like you more than they like me." Alice teased. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, coming from the girl who has hypnotized my father into thinking she's the perfect daughter. If I asked him to buy me a mansion, he'd give one of his are-you-kidding-me looks. But if _you_ asked, he'd buy you a French château in a heartbeat."

"Oh, whatever." Alice laughed, shaking her head at Bella's over exaggeration. "Our family's love us both equally. That better?"

Bella grinned. "Much."

"So," Alice began, pulling a hand from the warmth of the blankets to run it through Bella's soft hair. "Jasper and I were talking. We think we need another road trip."

Bella's eyebrows raised. "Wasn't one road trip enough for a lifetime?"

Alice gave her an incredulous look. "Of course not! So many good things happened on that one road trip. Just imagine what could happen on another one."

"When and where would this road trip take place?" Bella inquired as Alice continued toying with her hair.

"It would start during Christmas break. Jasper said he should be able to take leave this Christmas, so it'll work out. Rosalie, Emmett, and I would rent a big car and drive to Arizona to pick up Jasper. Then the four of us would drive to Hanover to get you, and then make a stop in Oregon to grab Summer before ending our little trip in Washington."

Bella stared at her girlfriend with wide eyes. "That's a hell of a lot of driving, Alice. I mean, _Hanover_? That's really far."

"You're worth it." She placed a kiss between Bella's eyes.

"That was cheesy."

"But true, nonetheless."

There was a moment or two of silence before Bella spoke. "What should I tell my mom? She's in Florida now with Phil, and she'll want me to stop by sometime during break."

"I'll buy you a ticket from Seattle to Jacksonville. Then from Jacksonville to New Hampshire. Sound good?"

Bella sighed, knowing it was no use arguing with Alice. The little pixie always got her way. "Sounds perfect."

"Fabulous." Alice gripped Bella's hands tightly in her own. "Now if only I can get you to agree on a shopping spree..."

Bella's eyes widened in fear. "No way. Uh-uh. You're not that good at persuasion, Alice."

Alice's eyes darkened at that, and she leaned forward, placing a kiss on Bella's right cheek. "Please." Her lips grazed her temple. "Please." A kiss on her jaw. "Please." One on the corner of her mouth. "Please, Bella." Her lips hovered over Bella's for a few seconds before meeting hers with a feather light touch.

Bella groaned in frustration as Alice pulled back. "Fine." Alice squealed with delight and buried her head in Bella's neck. "You're evil, you know that?"

Alice pulled away to grin at Bella. "Yes, but that's why you love me."

Bella placed a firm kiss on her girlfriend's lips before pulling back and getting a good look at her face. Alice looked so happy, laying there with her. Bella couldn't believe she'd gotten so lucky. She reached a hand forward and softly outlined Alice's face. Alice shivered at her touch. "I know."

* * *

**Long, heartfelt A/N: **More than seven months ago, a random idea popped into my head. I wrote it down. I started posting it. And now here we are at the end of the road. I've talked to a lot of awesome people because of this story and have had many interesting conversations with my readers, including ones about couch- and circle-phobias and cannibalistic mice (You people know who you are :P). I'd like to thank all of you for sticking by this story and not giving up on it. Especially when I'd promise to have a chapter up in two weeks, and then post it two months later *sigh* It's been so much fun writing this; you really have no idea. I loved when you all freaked out 'cause Alice was going on a date with Victoria, or when everyone was pissed at Bella for almost breaking up with Edward but then deciding against it. My readers (not just my reviewers; the readers who don't review are loved and appreciated, too) have made this story what it is. You're the reason I didn't give up. I'm going to stop now 'cause Kill Bill Volume 1 is on, and I love this movie. So I hope you've all enjoyed following the lives of Bella Swan and Alice Brandon, and I hope you feel I concluded the story in a nice, not-over-the-top-cheesy way ('cause a little cheese never hurt anybody). xx, worriedshoes014

**Songs: **"All Is Love" - Karen O & The Kids


End file.
